The Last Flower
by RoCk-ThIs-PaRtY153
Summary: The Earth has spoken. Should its final Flower be killed, catastrophe will be inevitable. The last hope is in her. A beauty of pink hair and green eyes, and her protector, a man of onyx eyes, that stare at her...in a way that is forbidden.
1. Chapter 1: A New Assignment

**Hi, so this is my story The Last Flower! I hope you enjoy it and love it and can't stop reading it and all that! :D **

**Sasuke: Review at the end or else. **

**Do you have to be so mean to the readers? Maybe that's why they won't review. =.=**

**Sasuke: That or they just hate your story. **

**You're being especially harsh today. Sakura mad at you. **

**Sasuke: -sigh-...yeah. **

**Aww, Tell me about it. Enjoy the story everyone! **

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><p>-Chapter 1: A New Assignment<p>

The onyx colored eyes of a man looked on the gray cement pavement as he walked against the cracked street. Hands in his pockets, he mindlessly avoided a textured, liquid like substance he had no desire to step in, despite having been in far more filthier situations. He scowled out it passing by. Filth; disgusting, unrecognizable filth that had no business being there. Now that he thought about it, he wasn't even sure what it was. Spilled beer or liquor? Fallen food? Vomit? He had no idea. And worse, he was starting to wonder whether or not it was alive. He sighed, looking up at the opening dawn sky, littered here and there by shadowed clouds. A pleasant day it would be in this filthy world; as pleasant as it could be anyway.

It was, after all, filthy.

His dark eyebrows furrowed, knitting together in slight concern. He had gotten a call from his job. They had a new assignment for him, and he couldn't help but think about what he was going to go through this time. Rather than thinking of it as a job, he more of thought of it as a nuisance, a source of income just to continue surviving without having to worry about cash; nothing more. Just that. It wasn't something he really loved and he was pretty damn sure knew he wasn't too keen on wanting to do it forever like some of the other employees had done before him. But he was also pretty sure what he wanted wouldn't matter. As much as he hated to admit it, he truly cut out for doing anything else. All he knew was that so called "_business_" and "_work_" with the "_company_" and moreover, other than his current work, he had no other work experience.

He really wondered what a CEO at a real business would say if he saw a blank resume in front of him along with a twenty two year old who pretty much looked like he hadn't given thought to a day of school at all. Would he kindly smile and dismiss him? He was only twenty two years old. Pretty young, and "just starting out on life" as old people would say. Or would he laugh his ass off like it was a joke and send him off after ripping the resume in half. He sighed.

_'Looks like ANBU Corps will be my workplace for a while.'_ He grumbled in his thoughts and ran a hand through his jet black hair. With that he sighed and heard the calling of his friend from two blocks away. He groaned and stopped.

"Naruto shut up. People are just starting to wake up." The raven haired man with onyx eyes glared at his blond friend who ran up to him chuckling.

"Oh come on Sasuke-Teme! There's no need to be so grouchy. It's only six thirty five in the morning!" Naruto nudged his friend with his elbow. Sasuke growled and death glared at Naruto smacking him upside the head making the other man yelp in slight pain. Studying him Sasuke saw nothing wrong with the erratic and hyperactive blond. His blond unmanageable hair was spiked as usual, pieces of it falling down his forehead lightly; a messy style. And you could trust Sasuke, his undeclared best friend was the largest slob in all of Konoha City. Sasuke was sure of it, Naruto Uzumaki had to be the filthiest person out here.

And yet, while he would never admit it out loud, he truly did find friendship in Naruto.

"Gah! Teme!" He steamed lifting his long sleeved orange and black turtle neck with shaking fist, his other arm rubbing the back of his head. Sasuke scoffed and continued walking now looking fully ahead. Naruto furrowed his blond eyebrows and his pure ocean blue eyes held concern for his raven haired friend. Usually this would be their small ritual. They would insult each other, and then fight, then go on to their boss...

But Sasuke didn't seem to even care. Their bickering was part of the brotherly bond and now through that bond Naruto could sense something was wrong.

"What's wrong Sasuke…?" He said walking beside him and shoving his hands into his pockets just like Sasuke. Sasuke looked down closing his eyes with a growl and shaking his head in something that represented frustration.

"Nothing Naruto…" He answered. Naruto rolled his eyes.

"Sasuke, I know when something's wrong with you. You know you can tell me anything." He said with the soft voice of a true friend and a brother. Sasuke remained silent before sighing out.

"Today is the day Naruto. It's the anniversary." He whispered almost inaudibly. Naruto's eyes widened and he looked down with sadness in his blue eyes. Sasuke didn't show much emotion thanks to this very day, fifteen years ago.

"They wouldn't want you grieving Sasuke…and like I've told you so many times, they wouldn't want you trying to avenge them." Naruto tried, but was only met with a glare from Sasuke. Onyx eyes clashed into cerulean blues and showed them a rage unmatched and a residing hatred scorned a thousand times over.

"I told you already. I will kill him for what he did. Nothing anyone can say will ever change my ambition. Nothing." Sasuke growled and looked away leaving no room for Naruto to speak anymore. Blue eyes stared at his friend of seventeen years, and lowered in sadness before continuing their walk in silence. It wasn't long before they reached a large building, a hundred stories high and in front shown the letters ANBU. No one outside the _company_ knew what it meant.

The two walked in, being met with a clean, mostly monotone lobby where everything was either grey or white. Pristine and clean, unlike the outside world. Sasuke and Naruto walked up to the front desk and stared at the woman with black hair, and black eyes working at the desk. She was at least in her twenties and wore a black and white dress with a small piglet on her lap.

"Hey Shizune! We're here to see the old granny! She called for us." Naruto explained with a grin. Shizune chuckled and nodded.

"You better stop talking about her and to her like that Naruto. She'll throw you through a wall someday." Shizune warned smiling at the blond. Naruto laughed nervously, scratching the back of his head with a sweat drop.

"Ah, well what she doesn't know won't anger her, right Shizune? Come on, how long have we known each other? Seven years now?" Naruto tried to save himself. Shizune shook her head and sighed.

"Well, I'll save your butt this time, but you better shut that mouth of yours, or you'll be in big trouble." Shizune said, Naruto nodded walking over to the elevator while dragging Sasuke behind him. Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"You seriously are going to cause Tsunade to kill you." Sasuke scoffed smirking when Naruto gulped audibly. They went all the way to the last floor, and walked out the elevator once the steel doors opened. It opened to reveal a large room, with large windows from the ceiling to the floor. A desk was by the windows and the chair was turned towards the glass, revealing the lifeless looking city. There was barely a tree in sight, barely a sight of green anywhere and everywhere in the world. A dull, dead, filthy world, devoid of life except for the impurities called humans who live in it.

It was the same almost anywhere and everywhere.

A woman turned in the chair, with the features of a matured twenty-something year old, with hair slightly blonder than Naruto's and intricate hazel eyes that stared at them with boredom, seriousness, but also friendliness and familiarity.

"Hello boys. I hope you enjoyed your two month vacation but it's time to get back to work." She spoke with a smile. Naruto grinned and placed his hands behind his head casually.

"Well, watcha need Tsunade-baa-chan?" Naruto smiled a whiskered grin. He contained birthmarks of three whisker-like marks on either side of his cheeks. Tsunade smirked shaking her head. After a small moment where her eyes were closed they opened to reveal serious hazel orbs.

"As you know, I and the other sages of the world are growing more unsteady by the moment. If Earthly life is no longer preserved and us humans continue their unspeakable act of modernizing the world, it is going to reject its inhabitants, and kill all of them by cutting off their resources and unleashing certain volcanic doom upon all." Tsunade informed.

The basic belief and slight religion of the world these days was that the earth was in fact alive and just not some floating density in space. But to the more spiritual followers such as those in ANBU, the earth was more than Alive. It was breathing, and strong, and supernatural. But it only gave such power to its true children, and not its inhibiters.

There was then the Elders, some referred to them as Sages, and many others referred to them as, the Legendary Sanin.

The Sages were the last to have contact with the Earth itself, before humans carelessly continued construction. They were said to be able to still speak to the Earth, and they too held powers in them said to be given to them from the Earth.

Tsunade stood as the elevator behind them ringed with the sound of a short bell. A man walked in with gray hair that defied gravity, and a mask covering his face from the nose down. He then had bandages covering his left eye. Naruto grinned and Sasuke smirked.

"Kakashi, huh. It's been a while." Sasuke greeted. Kakashi chuckled and pat both twenty two year old men on the shoulders.

"It certainly has. You two have grown quite a bit." Kakashi complimented remembering the two boys as two thirteen year olds. The older man smiled, though only the three in the room could identify it behind his mask.

"Now, go with Kakashi, and he will take you to your next assignment." Tsunade ordered. The two nodded walking back to the elevator and heading on downstairs into Kakashi's car. On the drive Kakashi sighed.

"It's so sad about the world today." Kakashi sympathized shaking his head as he continued to drive. Naruto was in the back seat looking slightly confused.

"But, how come those old sages can "talk" to the Earth and we can't?" Naruto whined. Sasuke scoffed and Kakashi rolled his one visible eye. Naruto groaned knowing the two were thinking he was stupid right now, which meant they had explained this to him once or twice before.

"Naruto, don't you learn anything?" Sasuke groaned. Naruto smirked.

"Not a damn thing." He proclaimed proudly making Sasuke irritated as he snapped his head to glare at him with death written in his eyes. Sasuke swore, sometimes Naruto just played idiot to get on his nerves. Naruto laughed and was only interrupted by Kakashi.

"It's not something to laugh about Naruto." Blue eyes started at his father figure with curious and serious eyes that resembled the maturity of a business man, and a wise old man.

"The Earth is very much alive and spiritual. It gives life to all, and has allowed us humans to live upon it for thousands of millions of years. And how do we repay it? With disrespect and the killing of its children for our own personal gain we supposedly call survival. The Sages were the last ones to have a connection with Earth before Earth was disconnected from us humans." Naruto nodded at Kakashi's words, understanding, and being sure to withhold the information for his mind.

"So, that's what Tsunade-baa-chan is? She was one of the last one's to have connection to nature?" Naruto questioned and Kakashi nodded. Sasuke looked outside the window with eyes of no emotion.

"Yeah..."

"Well, it's not like she's the only one with those powers. We—" Naruto began but was cut off.

"Are a different case Naruto. We are not directly from the Earth. Our _special modifications_ are not of direct Earth origin. We're artificial basically." Naruto scoffed at Kakashi's words, glaring determinedly and crossing his arms over his chest.

"Well, just because they're the originals doesn't mean us so-called copies are anything less. Watch. One day, I'll become...I'll become—"

"Hokage. We know Dobe. And there's no doubt you will. Tsunade is talking about retirement." Sasuke informed. Naruto's eyes widened.

"What? Retirement but she's fine." Naruto whispered.

"She's getting old Naruto. She said so herself, she's beginning to slow down. Just because her appearance is that of a twenty year old doesn't mean she can move like one...even though she still can but that's beside the point." Kakashi shrugged. Naruto's eyes lowered.

"I never believed I'd see the day were the old bat retired. I mean, really, you'd think she'd die in battle or something. You know how Tsunade-baa-chan is. Kicks and kicks until all your bones are crushed and she can stand on you just fine." Naruto tried to reason. Kakashi shook his head.

"Yes, but even so, she still needs a successor. She needs someone who can and will take over if she decides to go through with it. It's just a matter of choosing. And we all know she's going to choose you, so prepare yourself." Kakashi glared lightly with his one eye at Naruto through the rearview mirror. Naruto looked down.

"Hokage is not just the person in charge that everyone looks up to. Hokage is the strongest and lead defender of the city and our cause. And if you want to do that Naruto you're going to need to have knowledge along with that strength of yours." Naruto looked down solemnly and nodded at Kakashi's words.

"Yeah...your right."

"Come. We're here." Kakashi said parking in a parking lot. The three walked into a hospital building, and walked into the elevator waiting until the doors closed fully. Kakashi pressed two buttons at the same time, and the elevator, instead of going up or down, went backwards and then down with faster speed then a normal elevator. Naruto groaned.

"This always makes me sick." Naruto whimpered. Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"Dobe."

The elevator stopped and the doors opened. The floor of the elevator detached from it, and began to move along a treadmill like platform. The bottom of the elevator was replaced, and the elevator doors closed leaving them to a brightly lit laboratory. A man with silver hair tied in a pony tail turned to them and smiled, with large circular glasses gleaming in the light.

"Hello gentlemen." He greeted kindly.

"Good Morning Kabuto. We're here for Sasuke's next assignment." Sasuke eyes became determined and he was ready for anything. Kabuto smiled and snapped his fingers. With that, a test tube came from a metallic platform. In the test tube was a beautiful woman, with a white body suit on. She floated there with her eyes closed, long pink hair swaying slightly as if submerged in water.

"This woman here, my good man, is your next assignment." Kabuto said motioning his hand to the woman. Sasuke raised an eyebrow but eyed the pink haired woman. She was beautiful with long pink hair, and full eyelashes and full lips.

"I'm not trying to say I wouldn't want to be around her, because she's hot, but what makes her so important that she has to be a part of one of our assignments?" Naruto asked with eyes in obliviousness. Sasuke smacked Naruto upside his head, making the blond yelp lowly.

"She is not an ordinary woman, I guarantee you. What you are looking at is a mere vessel for a rare flower we have found just a few days ago. In fact...she may as well be the last flower." Kabuto explained, turning towards the test tube. It was filled with a green liquid making the female look almost goddess like.

"And with the Earth rather angry, we need to preserve her." Kabuto said smiling at the three men. Sasuke nodded at Kabuto with more understanding of the assignment.

He was her protector.

"See why she's so important? You're mission, is to guard this flower with your life." Kakashi said.

"Release the flower!" Kabuto said, and the water was drained from the tube. The woman slowly was placed on the ground and the glass doors of the tube opened. She fell forward, causing Sasuke to run forth, and catch her immediately. Sasuke caught the pink haired woman and kneeled with her on the ground, waiting for some kind of response. That's when she stirred.

Sasuke stared at the beautiful woman in his arms, and watched as slowly her eyes opened to reveal beautiful jade green eyes, that would match a stem of a flower. He remained staring down at her with shocked eyes. He felt his heart thump harder against his chest.

What was this feeling?

Sasuke lifted the flower to her feet gently holding her waist before letting her go. She only stared at him, cocking her head to the side in curiosity. She smiled warmly at him, before moving a strand of his long bangs away from his face.

"This pink haired woman before you comes from the flower called a Cherry Blossom. She's the very last one." She turned at the word Cherry Blossom. Naruto crossed his arms in jealousy.

"Why does Teme always get the girls?" Naruto whined stomping a foot on the ground. Kakashi smiled.

"Naruto, you have a mission to go pick up a piece of information from a source. You should get more information on your assignment now." Kakashi motioned his head back towards the elevator. Naruto left grudgingly stomping, and walked into the elevator. Sasuke couldn't help but continue staring at the woman. She looked at Kakashi with a curiosity in her eyes that showed she had his full attention.

It made Sasuke…feel angry at Kakashi for some reason, and he began glaring at his former teacher.

"How long is she staying with me?" Sasuke asked with slight venom. Kakashi raised an eyebrow and the beauty in the room looked at Sasuke, with almost fear in her eyes. He didn't like the look he was receiving, and with a clearing of his throat, chose his next words wisely.

"Surely this isn't going to be a long assignment is it? Keeping her with me is dangerous. The city is not meant for her. It's not her place. She can be hurt easily." Sasuke said with concern, looking back at the girl with worried eyes that only she could see. She looked so fragile, so tender. She looked like just a push with make her fly across the room.

"Actually, she is going to be staying with you for three years." Kakashi stated. Sasuke turned back to him with a raised eyebrow but no complaints.

"She's a very young flower. She needs more development before we are able to duplicate her, and hopefully create more of her kind. There is also a mythological tree called the Cherry Blossom tree. Hopefully we can rejuvenate it."

"You're assignment begins now." Kakashi said smiling and walking with the two to the elevator. Kabuto smiled and waved.

"Good bye. I'll be seeing you every now and then to check on the status of the flower. Monitoring her health status and maybe conducting a few last tests. This is the first time we've done something like this so contact me immediately if there appears to be a problem going on with her." Kabuto explained as Sasuke nodded, and left the lab.

Kabuto took out a phone and walked to a more secluded hallway of the large lab, and placed the device to his ear.

"Yes. He has the package. Send them." He spoke quietly smirking and hanging up the phone before looking over his shoulder and exiting the laboratory.

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><p>Sasuke sighed walking to his car with the woman to his right side, to his own car. She suddenly stopped. He stopped slightly ahead of her, and looked back fully seeing the look in her eyes as she looked at her new surroundings. The wind blew through her wet hair, and she looked sad. She kneeled touching the cement, caressing the pavement with sadness in her eyes.<p>

And Sasuke couldn't help but stare at her with softness in his eyes.

She looked like an angel whose human lover had died and she couldn't stop it. She was beautiful and phenomenal. She looked goddess like, and she held her own light and grace about her, even in sadness. She looked up to the sky, giving her an even more angelic look even as tears began to weld in her eyes. Sasuke kneeled down in front of her catching her attention. He grabbed her hand, and was slightly shocked at the warm and tingly feeling he got from the contact. She looked down at him causing a stray tear to fall.

"Come on…we have to get going." He said looking around the barren streets. He didn't want someone to see her and start spreading rumors. There weren't many people around with odd colored hair, and one of them could possibly be a spy. And that spy, would find a girl with vibrant green eyes and pink hair rather suspicious. And her being with Sasuke was going to be even worse.

He caressed her hand and grabbed it a little more firmly, hauling her to her feet. She then followed him with eyes downcast and full of sadness. He sighed and opened the door for her to his car. She looked at him not understanding.

He pointed at the seat.

"Get in…" He told her not sure if she understood him. She seemed hesitant, but soon she sat down looking at him silently asking if she did it right. He nodded closing the door and walking around to the driver's side and drove off.

And so began assignment: The Last Flower.

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><p><strong>Hope you guys enjoyed! Next time in The Last Flower! <strong>

"Uhm…Cherry Blossom…?" He called with small insecurity. He really wasn't sure he was calling her correctly.

"Sakura." She said turning to him. His eyes widened slightly and he turned to her, stopping the car at a red light. It was the first time he heard her speak. She had the voice of a young woman, but the softness of an experienced mother.

"What?" What shocked him slightly more is that she understood him. Sure she'd understand the word Cherry Blossom. It was her species, but she actually understood what he was saying.

Because she answered him right after his dumbfounded what.

"You can call me Sakura…" She said a bright smile playing on her features perfectly. He felt his heart warm at the smile and tingling sensations overcome him. Sasuke cleared his throat and nodded looking towards the road with serious dark eyes.

"Very well. Sakura…There are some rules you are to follow for the period you are with me. Understood?"

**Feeling better Sasuke? **

**Sasuke: -hugging Sakura- Shut up.**

**Sakura: Come back next chapter! :D **


	2. Chapter 2: First Precautions

**Helloooooo! Welcome to Chapter 2! Awesome that you've made it this far! :D **

**Sasuke: What are you trying to say they can't read now? **

**I am not!**

**Sasuke: Yes you are. You're calling them illiterate.**

**I am just excited that they decided to continue my story rather than drop it off the face of the Earth forever and ever. **

**Sasuke: RoCk-ThIs-PaRtY153 doesn't own Naruto. **

**If I did, you and Sakura would be together already you dumb shit. **

**Sasuke: I do love her, Kishimoto is just keeping me from getting to Sakura to inflict more suffering on me. **

**Sakura: -walks in- Hi hi readers! Have a great read! **

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><p>-Chapter 2: First Precautions<p>

Sasuke side glanced at the woman, or flower, or…whatever she wanted to be called, and over looked her slowly. She was still wearing the white body suit, with a black hood. The cape dropped down to her thighs and she wore nothing on her bare feet. Her long, waist length pink hair, now dried extended laid relaxed against her shoulders and back, and her green eyes stared in a constant and excited wonder. When the car first moved, her eyes went wide and she looked at him, concerned and scared but he calmed her. Awkwardly yes, but he did calm her down with soothing words and assurance.

He furrowed his jet black eyebrows and sighed. Her being dressed like that wouldn't help blending her into society. While he found it incredibly idiotic and just plain outright stupid, he knew the first thing to do would be to get her some actual clothes to walk around in, so that she appeared as human as possible, because right now she looked like some kind of experiment.

"Uhm…Cherry Blossom…?" He called with small insecurity. He wasn't sure he was calling her correctly. That reminded him...did she even know how to speak? Or what he and the others were saying?

"Sakura." She said turning to him. His eyes widened slightly and he turned to her, stopping the car at a red light. It was the first time he heard her speak. She had the voice of a young woman, but the softness of an experienced mother. Not to mention that answered his question on whether or not she could speak...but did she really understand? Sure she'd understand the word Cherry Blossom. It was her species, but did she actually understand what he was saying.

"What?" He said stupefied. She smiled, nodding at him. She really did understand him.

Because she answered him right after his dumbfounded what.

"You can call me Sakura…it is a name, and it means Cherry Blossom." She said smiling. He felt his heart warm at the smile and tingling sensations overcome him. With a blush he looked back to the road and cleared his throat of balled up saliva. He thanked whatever god's above that he had long bangs to frame his face, allowing him to hide the embarrassment and flush of color. He nodded looking towards the road with serious dark eyes.

"Very well. Sakura…there are some rules you are to follow for the period you are with me. Understood?" He started while she nodded in understanding. She held a smile on her face, and stared at him with her complete attention. He raised an eyebrow. She knew what rules were?

"Rule number one; you are to not talk to or go with anyone anywhere without my say so. Rule number two; you are to stay by my side and in my sight at all times. And rule number three; you are to stay out of the way in any fights or battles that occur. When a fight does occur, you are to hide until I get back to you. If I don't, you are to runaway for as long as you possibly can back to that hospital. Understand?" He asked and she nodded with a weary look in her eyes.

"Uhm…Sasuke-kun, why do I have stay out the way, during fights?" She asked. His heart beat harder against his chest hearing his name from her lips, with a suffix. It was not his first time hearing 'Sasuke-kun', but it was his first time hearing Sasuke-kun, with such a sensitivity and graciousness that it made him shiver, no matter how hard he tried to suppress it. Usually, it annoyed him to the brink of getting ready to shoot whoever said the God Forsaken suffix. Sasuke shook his head.

"It is my job to protect you with everything I have. I am not going to allow anyone to harm you and you getting in the way will most likely interfere with my task." He explained to her seriously. She looked away with saddened eyes.

"So…I'm a burden." She said almost with a matter of fact voice, saddened and soft. Sasuke looked over to her with his heart stopping for a brief moment. She wasn't a burden. She was far from a burden…at least she wasn't a burden for now. Surely when the enemy got word she was with him, they were going to come with weapons armed.

"You're no burden Sakura. This is basically what I do for a living. I've had worse assignments then this, so you don't have to worry about being a nuisance." He clarified for her. She smiled gently and nodded.

"Where are we going now?" She asked him kneeling over and studying the wheel Sasuke held as he drove. He looked at her. Now she was being a nuisance. He sighed.

"Sakura please get back in your seat. And we are going to the mall. We have to get you clothing and shoes." He said, turning a corner and stopping at another red light and she did as he said. Sakura gave a confused look and Sasuke silently asked her what her troubles were.

"What are _shoes_?" She asked. And the way she said it made Sasuke find her rather…cute.

"They're what you put on your feet." He explained shortly. Sakura suddenly glared and crossed her arms.

"No! I don't want anything on my feet!" She said with a pleading voice. Sasuke looked at her.

"Sakura, you have to. The streets are no place for bare feet. They are filled with cracks, and broken bottles, and liquids that you don't want to step in." He explained. She crossed her arms slouching in the car seat and only looking out the window for the rest of the ride. Sasuke sighed.

This flower was extremely childish and rather stubborn and was becoming more and more annoying with each passing word that left her lips.

Sasuke found parking across the street from the city mall, and walked over to open the door for Sakura. She got out slowly and stared at Sasuke. He stared at her feet down on the concrete floor. They looked so tender…she was definitely going to need some shoes.

He lifted her bridal style and began to walk. She objected.

"No, Sasuke-kun, I can walk, please put me down." She said with anxiety, in her voice, as she wrapped her arms around his neck gently but tightly. You'd think he was going to drop her.

"Sakura, the concrete won't be good for your feet." He promised her, beginning his walk across the street and into the mall. Sakura whimpered and she buried her face into his neck. He concluded she was scared. She was the last flower, which meant she was somehow hidden from humans, and this meant she had never seen too many humans gathered in one place. Sasuke felt a burn on his cheeks as he continued walking.

She was so light…and he liked the feel of holding her.

He glared at nothing in particular. What was he thinking? She was his assignment. He was to protect her, not grow feelings for her. Besides…though he was a handsome man with thousands of fan girls who still stalk him to this very day, he never…had a relationship before…

And it would just be weird to have a relationship with a flower.

'_Why am I even thinking this? What should be on my mind is preserving her for the next three years.'_

He walked into the clothing store and placed Sakura down on a stool. She looked around rubbing her feet together in slight fear.

"Sasuke-kun I don't like being here…" She whimpered. Sasuke shook his head kneeling down in front of her and grabbing her hands.

"We're only going to be here for a few minutes okay? Not for long." He said caressing her hands to make her feel better. It was something his mother use to do to him when she was still around and he was upset. She would just grab his hands and then caress them with a gentle circular motion that resembled a feather like touch.

It worked for Sakura, and she smiled, nodding in compliance. And what struck him in his chest was that she actually seemed to trust him. He looked away from her green eyes, and flipped the hood of her cape over her head to cover the pink strands of hair, and stood, calling for a store clerk. It was a woman with red uneven hair, with black glasses over very dark brown eyes. She smiled at him.

"What can I do for you sir?" She asked with a flirty voice. Sasuke glared at her.

"I need help for her. She needs clothing and shoes, but I'm not sure what to get her or what size she is. There was a fire at her home." He lied. The woman looked at Sakura and glared with jealousy.

"Are you together?" She asked Sasuke with a fake smile towards him. Sasuke narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms.

"I don't have time for this. Go get her some damn clothing and shoes already so we can go." Sasuke growled at her, making her literally run off in fear. After measuring Sakura's feet and body measurements, she ran and got a few choices.

There was black boots with a small heel in the back and open toes, another pair of black leather boots with no open toe, for the rain or snow since winter was around the corner, black flats, and white flats.

Then everything when it came down to clothing. Night gowns, pajamas, jeans, shorts, skirts, sweatpants, tube tops, tank tops, plain t-shirts, blouses, revealing blouses, party blouse, dresses and so on and so forth.

Sasuke rolled his eyes and sighed as he paid for the necessities, and took a pair of black flats to Sakura who was sitting down. He kneeled, putting the shoe on and after putting on the second one he heard a sniffle.

His eyebrows furrowed and he looked up to see Sakura crying and looking down at her feet. His eyes, though he didn't know it, grew sympathetic and he caressed her tears away unconsciously.

"Sakura, don't cry. What's wrong?" He asked. She sniffed again.

"I feel Mother less than I did before." She whimpered. Sasuke's eyes lit with realization. The shoes were cutting the little bit of connection with Earth that she could get here. He sighed looking down, drawing his hand away from her. Why was she so...

"Sakura, I promise, you don't have to wear them a lot. Okay? Only when we're out. Please, stop crying." He said to her, gently caressing away the tears again.

...alluring?

She finally looked at him and smiled nodding, and standing. Sasuke let Sakura walk in front of him, and from out of the corner of his eyes saw the lady who helped them. He side looked her over.

She was observing him...and then looked at Sakura. Big red flag. His eye glared at her, sending her a silent warning.

_Back off...or die._

He shook his head. She was store clerk for god's sake. He was sure that she couldn't do any kind of harm if she tried...but just in case, he was going to have to steer clear of this store and lady for a long time. With that he caught up with Sakura, who waited for him by the door.

The two walked back to the car, and the ride to Sasuke's home was a quiet and calm one. Sakura pleasantly looked out the window, watching the scenes as they drove by. Dirty, cracked, crooked streets, with seemingly sad people. Everyone was so sad. She looked over to Sasuke. She could feel it from him the most.

He was sad...all the time.

Her eyes grew sympathetic. She reached out, grabbing his right had that laid still on the gear to his car. For a moment, everything was calm, quiet. Everything was...right. She smiled happily, and looked at him to see he was staring at the road of the highway they were on. She looked down on his hand, to see it a bit more relaxed than before. She closed her eyes reaching inside herself and allowing herself to sync herself with him. A sync for her, was a moment were contact was shared, and she could feel and/or know everything the other person did for the moment. It wasn't permanent unless made so. And the moment she did, the car jerked forward in shock as he pressed a little to hard on the brake pedal. Her hand flew forward, and his hand flew to push her back before she could bang her head against the dashboard.

"Fuck!" Sasuke gasped. Sakura looked to the windshield, seeing construction in front of them and a group of workers and police officers pointing them to turn go another way. She looked at Sasuke, seeing his eyes glare at the police officer and a car in front of them. The police officer walked to Sasuke's window, tapping on it to indicate he wanted to talk.

"What?" Sasuke grumbled to him as the window rolled down.

"Sorry about that. I saw how that asshole cut you off. Just wanted to let you know that you might want to take a different way. Things are way more hectic up ahead." The guy said kindly. Sasuke looked back towards the road and then to Sakura. He looked at the time. Ten thirty in the morning.

"This is the quickest way for me to get home." Sasuke murmured looking at Sakura. Just looking at her helped him feel a bit calmer. And that sensation on his hand when she was touching it a moment ago...what was that?

"Sorry about that man. I really think you ought to take a different way though..." The guy leaned into Sasuke's ear.

"Saw your eyes flash red. Take a different road Uchiha-sama." Sasuke's eyes widened and he glared.

ANBU...or _them? _

"Who are you?"

"He who wishes for Mother's future."

ANBU. Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"I'll be fine."

"Please, take a different road. You know how you can get. Especially angry." The guy said. Sasuke glared at him.

"What the hell are you guys doing on the fucking highway anyway?" Sasuke growled at him.

"I was told not to tell you, but you should know because you have some precious cargo with you here." The guy started looking towards Sakura, who stared back in confusion. Sasuke looked at her as well.

"Well, get out with it then. I want to go home already." Sasuke growled.

"We caught wind of _you-know-who_." Sasuke's eyes widened, and his teeth gritted. So, he was around...

"So a construction sight instead of a police checkpoint to avoid suspicion. Tell Tsunade she's brilliant." Sasuke grumbled. The guy chuckled.

"I know it's inconvenient for you, but even you know she really is brilliant. The disguise police officer laughed and then turned serious.

"Strangely though, Tsunade-sama does not remember giving orders to keep any of this quiet from you." The officer said quietly. Sasuke's eyes widened.

"...which is why she's told me to urge you to go another way." Sasuke's eyes this time narrowed he looked at Sakura again. She was playing with her fingers now, staring at the other worldly things like they fascinated her in a way.

"Who made the order then?"

"No one knows. We were only given a written statement by Tsunade, telling us to set up the construction sight-that she says is true-but the rest to the statement urged us to say nothing to you, Naruto Uzumaki, Kakashi Hatake, and/or anyone besides those of the operation for that matter." The guy said quietly. Sasuke nodded.

"I see...so a possible trap of some kind. From a traitor." Sasuke suggested.

"Maybe...or to slow you down and keep you in the sights of _him_." Sasuke nodded.

"Give Tsunade my thanks."

"I will. Be safe." Sakura looked at the guy and smiled, who looked at her smiling back. Sasuke sighed, and looked at Sakura.

"I guess we're going to have to go another way then." Sasuke said, rubbing his forehead. Sakura, confused and naive as ever, only smiled approvingly of Sasuke's decision as if she would follow him to the ends of the Earth. He shook his head, turning the wheel and driving along a nearby exit ramp, no one else was using. And the rest of the ride to Sasuke's home was uneventful. It was a spacious loft, and the two walked to the elevator before riding up to the last floor. Sakura walked into his home, removing her hood letting her hair be revealed once again. She looked around seeing windows, and a large living room, though she didn't know what it was, and then a kitchen, a few stairs, and a hallway.

She slipped off her shoes and continued walking around while Sasuke watched her carefully. She looked around the house, eyeing his possessions and necessities. All of this was so new to her. She didn't know what anything was. But...at the same time, she did. She didn't know what a television was, but she knew it was a device invented by numerous engineers of the late eighteen hundreds and early nineteen hundreds. She knew that the invention was the television however, was accredited to Philo Farnsworth and Charles Francis Jenkins in 1929. She knew of the evolution's of television and that this kind of thing was referred to as a flat screen TV. She knew that in front of the flat screen, was a piece of furniture called a sofa, and in between was a table.

She knew what these things were...but she didn't know them at all.

In her world, there were no televisions or radios or couches or chairs. There were no kitchen sinks, dining tables, refrigerators, and all these other things she didn't know. She looked to Sasuke who sat down on his couch and with the press of a button on a device she remembered was called the remote, the television came to life, with people and colors. She sat down curiously, next to him, cocking her head to the side.

"This show is called Bar Rescue." Sasuke said, putting the remote down and slouching. Sakura looked at the TV, seeing an angry man she knew was called Jon Taffer yelling angrily at someone she didn't know.

"He's angry...," She murmured.

"Well, he's not anymore. This show is from a while ago. about two hundred years back in the past." Her eyebrows furrowed at Sasuke's information.

"Two...hundred years?" She asked quietly. He nodded.

"Why don't they air newer shows?"

"They do, they just like to throw in old ones. For entertainment and extra time to waste. I like this show." He shrugged. She looked at him, and nodded.

"I suppose...but the dead should rest in peace and not be disturbed. Why continue airing the dead?" She asked. He looked at her. She was looking at the TV now, her eyes seemingly unapproved by these actions.

"Sakura..."

"The dead should be left alone. Leave them to rest and leave the past behind...," She said looking at Sasuke with a smile.

"Begin a new series. A new start. A new road so they won't be dead in vain. That's just what I think." She said calmly. She settled more lazily in the bed, closing her eyes.

"I...feel tired."

Sasuke looked away, not at the television or anything at all. He stood, laying her down on the couch.

"Rest here for a little. I have to go make space for you in my room." He said, and disappeared up a short flight of stairs. She closed her eyes, and fell asleep, while Sasuke spent his time cleaning.

* * *

><p>Sakura sat up rubbing her eyes lazy. She walked to his room up the stairs, and looked around the rather dark room. She saw a picture on the nightstand and slowly picked it up looking down at four people. This was called a picture and what it was inside of was called a picture frame, her mind automatically brought up. She studied the four people of the colorful image.<p>

An old man in about his forties, with a very serious face towards the camera and beside him a beautiful woman in her mid thirties with black hair and black eyes smiling gently. There was then a boy, at least thirteen years old and next to him another boy, a bit younger; maybe seven years old. She smiled at the young boy touching his face.

"That's me." She heard from behind her. She turned around, smiling up at him and then looking back down at the picture.

"Sasuke-kun, this is your family?" She asked. He nodded taking the picture and placing it faced down on the nightstand.

"They were my family." He said looking down with a glare. She seemed to understand and she placed a hand on his face. The gesture and contact shocked Sasuke to a point where he his eyes widened slightly. He stared into her green eyes, a moment of silence followed the two of them, with the warmth of a mother's arms.

"Sasuke-kun, they're with Father now…they are better." She said quietly. The moment of comfort was gone in that instant. Sasuke's eyes glared at nothing in particular and he replaced the growing pain in his chest with sheer and renewed anger. It was all he could do. He had an ambition...a goal and what he needed was hatred, not kind words to destruct his path. He furrowed his eyebrows.

Mother was Earth obviously…who was Father?

"Who is Father?" He grumbled curiously. Sakura smiled and walked over to the window, opening the curtain to reveal the now dimly lit sky with dusk almost at its end and night approaching. She pointed up at the sky and Sasuke understood.

"Father gives them light and warmth, and Mother carries them now." She explained with a gentle smile. Sasuke glared at her slightly.

"They shouldn't be. They shouldn't have been murdered." Sasuke growled and turned away from her to walk to the balcony.

"But Sasuke-kun, their suffering has ended. And so should yours. Forgive and forge—" That's where Sasuke snapped and he turned to her.

"Shut the hell up!" Sasuke yelled. Sakura's eyes widened, and she was silenced instantly. And for Sasuke, there was no stopping the words coming from his mouth. There was no ending to the pain or suffering.

"What the hell do you know? You're nothing but a stupid flower, with no clue on what suffering is! And you will never understand what that feels like! You'll never know the pain of losing a loved one! I can't forgive and forget! My suffering will never end so long as my family's murderer lives!" He screamed at her.

"There is no new path for me! There is nothing but destruction! I am an avenger and I will have my vengeance! And nothing, especially some ridiculous, weak and pathetic _thing_ is not going to shake me off my chosen path!" He continued and ended instantly regretting it. He saw the tears weld in her eyes and he realized everything he had just said. The green eyes were pained.

A stupid flower...a stupid flower with no clue on anything. What the hell did a stupid flower know...? What the hell did a ridiculous, weak and pathetic flower know?

"Saku—" but it was no use. She ran away into whatever room was next and closed the door behind her. She ran into a closet. He sighed, placing his hand on the door, his eyes falling when he heard sobbing and whimpers.

He decided he would leave her be for a while.

He stared at himself in the bathroom mirror and had just finished showering for an hour. He turned clenching his hands into fist. He growled punching his bathroom door cursing at himself.

"Why the hell did I say that?! Damn it!" Sasuke growled and sighed. He walked over to the closet, putting his ear against it. He could still hear the sniffles and such. He decided against showing his face to her and went to bed.

As the rays of the sun touched Sasuke's face, the rather light sleeper woke up with a tired look in his eyes. He growled standing from the bed, and walking to the kitchen. He bit his bottom lip.

"Sakura? Sakura!" He called her name. Not hearing anything worried him, and he became alert.

"Sakura!" He screamed.

Sasuke furrowed his eyebrows looking everywhere for Sakura. He had called her name hundreds of times, checked the locks and saw that none of them had been unlocked since last night, checked every spot in the house. She was nowhere to be found. No windows were opened so she couldn't have jumped out, and he was sure as hell that if she jumped out the window anyway, she wouldn't have run away without difficulty. They were up fifty floors.

He ran through the hallway stopping right in front of the closet.

'_I'm a dumbass.'_ He thought to himself with a sweat drop.

With that he walked over to the closet she was in. He lowered himself to sit on the floor beside the door.

"Sakura…" He called softly.

"Can I come in?" He asked gently. Hearing no reply he slowly opened the door. He saw Sakura against the wall, with her legs hugged up to her chest and face covered behind her knees.

"Sakura, I'm sorry for yelling at you. I didn't mean to. It will never happen again…" She didn't lift her head up.

"Sakura?" He called again touching her arm and grabbing it only to find her hand looked limp. His eyes widened and he looked straight at her.

"Sakura! Sakura, answer me. This is not funny." He growled lifting her limp body and taking her outside to his bedroom, where his bed was right by a window. His eyes widened.

She was breathing ragged breaths, and her eyes looked less lively. Her once vibrant skin was a sick pale. Dark veins rode up her neck. Her hair was slightly duller, and her eyes were half lidded.

"Sakura, what's wrong? Tell me what I need to do." He said. Sakura forced herself to grab the curtain only gently, revealing sunlight for a short period before the curtain closed on its own again. His eyes widened and he ripped the shades down fearing for Sakura.

Not for himself, or the assignment, but for Sakura.

She gasped lightly as the sunlight hit her body, and Sasuke went on to think what more he had to do. What else could he do, or what was to be done?

"W-Wa…" Sakura tried but her voice was hoarse and dry. Sasuke's eyes widened. Dry...

She needed water.

He immediately ran to the kitchen grabbing a glass and filling it with water and running back to Sakura lifting her in his arms. He placed the edge of the cup to her lips, and she placed her own hand over his to grab the cup and drink greedily. And Sasuke couldn't help but hate himself for the state she was in. His eyes widened when she gulped every last drop down, but there was no change in her condition. She groaned, and went back looking at the sun. Sasuke bit his bottom lip. She needed more water…but was there a more efficient way?

He looked down at her body, visualizing her as the flower she was. The realization hit him across the face as he placed the glass down and ran for a bucket filling it with water.

Flowers took in water from their roots, the roots of Sakura being most likely her feet. He filled it half way and placed it next to Sakura, in front of the window, so the morning sun shined better on her as she drank. He took her legs flipping them off the bed towards the bucket of water. She groaned looking at him. Once her feet were directly over the bucket Sasuke picked her up so she sat upwards with his help of course, and the feet sank into the liquid. She moaned and her head went upward, and a smile came upon her face.

The dark veins slowly disappeared, and her hair went back to a more vibrant pink. She looked more healthy, and alive. Sasuke let out a breath of relief and he caressed Sakura's face with almost anxiety and fear. He was scared. He almost lost her. He could have lost her and he would be nothing and…why was he thinking this way?

Sakura stared at him with worried eyes of her own, and she smiled in understanding that he was worried about her. She stood fully and got out the bucket.

Sasuke almost spoke against it but she turned with a smile.

"It's okay Sasuke-kun, I have had my fill. I no longer want water now…I want more sun though. Can we go for a walk?" She asked. His eyes softened. She had already forgiven him? Sure he saved her life just now, but…she had already set aside the fact that he had yelled at her harshly. He looked down in sadness and regret and anger for himself.

He felt a hand on his face and he was brought to meet Sakura's eyes.

And his phone rang.

He looked down at the object with a look of panic and even shock. Almost as if he had forgotten that such a thing existed. Sighing, he shook his head, answering the phone.

"Sasuke." He said monotony. Using his entire name, or his last name was something he didn't and couldn't do often.

_"Hello Sasuke. I hope all is well?" _Sasuke's eyebrows furrowed and he glared at nothing particular.

"Kabuto. You failed to mention a few things to me. Like how Sakura actually needs water and sunlight, like any flower would." Sasuke practically snarled into the phone. If he had known, he at least wouldn't have let Sakura stay in the closet the whole night and she would've been fine. She wouldn't have ever been in that state.

_"Ah, I'm sorry. I didn't think that'd be a problem for you to find out. I figured you would have figured she'd be that way. But, you see, we couldn't change her nutrition guidelines." _Kabuto replied. Sasuke's eyes narrowed angrily. If he didn't know any better, he'd say that Kabuto was mocking him in a sense. And if there was one thing Sasuke hated, it was to be mocked.

"It would've been nice to know so that she didn't almost die on the first day." Sasuke snarled. Kabuto chuckled.

_"Please excuse my rudeness and my incompetence Sasuke. How is the flower?"_

Sasuke looked back at Sakura. "Better now."

_"Splendid. I guess then you now know that she needs sunlight and water to survive." _Sasuke glared menacingly.

"Anything else?" Sasuke growled.

_"Well, I'm sure you already know that we've altered her brain to understand and speak several languages, as well as have basic knowledge of things of this world. Like entertainment and its systems, materials, sciences, mathematics, analysis, history, etc. Other than that, she's basically just another human being."_

"Anything else Kabuto?" Sasuke grumbled.

_"No. That is all." _Sasuke hung up instantly. Kabuto usually didn't get on his nerves like that, but that conversation just now was just pissing him off more and more. He just wanted to find him and strangle him. Especially because he left out such important information. What kind of mistake was that?

"Sasuke-kun?" He turned over to Sakura.

"Yes?"

"Is everything okay?" She asked quietly. He stared at her for a moment, before nodding and looking away fully. He was such an idiot.

"Yeah. Everything's fine. How are you feeling?" His voice trailed off lightly, as she walked over to him and hugged him close. She smiled when pulling away.

"I'm better." She beamed. And he stared, his arms remaining at his sides. Sakura raised an eyebrow seeing his expression. He seemed so...so sad. So much sadness was inside of him, but he hid it all behind a facade of stoicism and anger. She smiled.

She would just be sure not to have him be sad anymore. She would do everything in her power to make him happy.

"Sasuke-kun, I forgive you. Please…let's go for a walk. I…I'll where those shoes." She pleaded lightly. Sasuke couldn't help but give a small chuckle and smile at her. There was something about Sakura that just made the coldest man on earth smile. All she had to do was speak, or look at you, or smile at you. It was contagious, the…the happiness she spread. Maybe she truly was the last bit of hope for everyone. The last bit of happiness they could have.

But why was he feeling this when he only had her for two days?

And why was Kabuto really being a straight out asshole?

With that he began to put on his boots, and watched as she cheered and got ready herself, putting on bought jeans and a red short sleeved shirt under her black light sweater and jacket. He stared as she had small difficulty before putting on the black open toed boots right, and he grabbed his two guns, hiding them in his black leather jacket.

Leaving, Sasuke couldn't help but feel uneasiness about this growing connection.

* * *

><p><strong>Next time, in the Last Flower! <strong>

"Keep your eye out my son. There is a traitor among us. And they have already zeroed their sights in on the flower."

"But she's dying Sasuke-kun! Let me go with her! Please!"

"I won't let _anything_ happen to Sakura! You hear me!"

_'A flower's life is very brief. Remember that Sasuke-kun.'_

**Until next time everybody! :D **

**Sakura: Say ahh Sasuke-kun! **

**Sasuke: Sakura, I don't need to be fed! **

**Sakura: Come on say ahh! Open that big mouth wide! Here comes the choo-choo train! Choo Choo! **

**Sasuke: Sakura! I-mmfh! **

**Sakura: Very good! :D **


	3. Chapter 3: The Warnings

**Here's the next Chapter to THE LAST FLOWER! Woooo! **

**Hey guys, they are going to speak a "different language" which is actually made up byyy YOURS TRULY! :D WOO! I'm epic right?**

**Sasuke: Wrong.**

**Grr...Meany pants.**

**Sasuke: Whatever. Let the poor people get to the damn story.**

**Fiiinnnee! :D HERE YA GO GUYS! THE NEXT CHAPTER! **

**BYYY THE WAY! THERE WILL BE TRANSLATIONS TO WHAT THEY WERE SAYING AT THE END OF THE CHAPTER! YOU'LL SEE! **

* * *

><p>-Chapter 3: The Warnings<p>

He sighed and walked out the loft waiting for Sakura and locked the door, watching as she walked ahead of him and spun around in the sunlight. He smiled discreetly. Good thing his apartment was in the more secluded areas of the city.

The two stopped at the park, where there was only one tree, and the tree had its own small patch of grass that spread only a little to their area. The rest was concrete and steel with a jungle gym and slides. Few children played here. Most found more fun in the streets rather than climbing a large tree. Adults would much rather remain in large beautiful restaurants rather than take a nice walk along the gentle grasslands and finding refuge beneath the shade of a tree. His eyes lowered in sadness. People today...they just didn't give a damn.

"My my Sasuke-san, what a healthy girl she is." An old woman broke him from his thoughts. He knew her as Chiyo, and she watched Sakura with baggy eyes that were unseen by close to anyone who looked at the old lady. Sasuke looked at her nodding with respect to his elder and to one of the Sages of the world.

"Hello Elder Chiyo. How are you this morning?" Sasuke asked continuing to watch over Sakura, who was spinning around and getting herself dizzy. She was giggling, and with the dizziness she fell against the grass laughing. He watched her as she caressed the grass with a smile and closing of her green eyes and the wind blew across her face. The old woman placed a gentle wrinkly hand on Sasuke's shoulder, and he bent to her height with her rough pull. He kept his eyes on Sakura throughout the whole thing.

"Keep your eye out my son. There is a traitor among us. And they have already zeroed their sights in on the flower. She is the very last flower. The Earth has spoken. If she is killed, there will be no forgiveness." Sasuke's eyes became even more serious, and his eyes hardened into complete seriousness and no emotion. His hands clenched into tight fist.

She pulled away from him and looked over at Sakura, only to see the young green eyes staring at her. The older woman smiled at her as Sakura walked up to her.

"My, my, you're a young but strong one." Elder Chiyo smiled and placed her hand against where Sakura's would heart be. Sakura blinked slowly, and looked down at Chiyo's hand. Sasuke stepped feeling a protective urge come about him but was stopped by Elder Chiyo's hand.

"Calm down Sasuke-san. I mean no harm to this flower…Even she knows it." She said with her usual shaking voice of old. Sasuke stared at Sakura only to see her staring peculiarly at the old woman with curiosity, rather then fear or anything like that. Sasuke, close to unconsciously, relaxed his hands and shoulders. Then again it could just be Sakura's curiosity getting the best of her. And curiosity killed the cat, so just in case he kept a hand on his gun ready for anything.

A feeling came around Chiyo, and she had a vibe of sadness around her. Green smoke like essence poured from her hand and around Sakura in a mystical way. Her hair stood gently with the green essence caressing every last bit of long strands, then it caressed away her black jacket, making it suspend in the air with her hair. It was beautiful.

"You poor thing…you've experienced great pain in your years." Chiyo said with sadness. Sasuke looked at Sakura seeing her eyes drop in the said emotion.

"The falling of your brothers and sisters…you feel their pain every day don't you?" Chiyo rhetorically questioned. Sasuke looked over to Sakura feeling his heart sink. After what he had said to her…she never told him throughout that whole thing that she had felt pain similar to his. Why didn't she hate him and all humans a like?

Sakura closed her eyes and a green light came from her hand itself, making Sasuke's eyes widened. She placed it against Chiyo's forehead and her eyes widened for a moment. She threw herself back, letting the green essence that once was their connection be destroyed. Sakura panted looking at Chiyo with shocked eyes that showed disbelief.

Sasuke cocked his pistol, letting Chiyo hear the click clack of his loaded gun. Chiyo chuckled and smiled one of friendliness and tears streamed out her unseen eyes.

"I have felt your pain cherry blossom." She whispered as Sakura ran into her arms and dropped to her knees crying. Sasuke stopped and didn't understand. What was going on? Why was Sakura holding the woman like she was a long lost parent?

"I must take my leave cherry blossom, they will grow suspicious, and our little light show will start to give people curiosity." Chiyo told Sakura caressing her face.

"B-But…you're dying…I don't want to be alone." Sakura whispered with slow tears falling. Chiyo smiled down at her.

"Do not worrying about a thing child...All I wished for was to see you...and I have. Therefore I am happy. Though, if you were to come with me, I'd be eternally grateful." The older woman said. Sasuke furrowed his eyebrows standing between Sakura and Chiyo. He wasn't sure what Chiyo wanted exactly that she needed Sakura to go with her, but he would not let it continue, for Sakura's safety.

"That's enough Chiyo. Don't toy with her emotions. Sakura, let's go." Sasuke commanded glaring at Chiyo slightly. Chiyo was a human, and who was she to ask the last flower to help. She was a Sage, she should know better than to ask for anything from any piece of nature at all.

"But she's dying Sasuke-kun! Let me go with her! Please!" Sakura suddenly began begging. Sasuke stared down at her with eyes wide. She was still on her knees pulling on his pants and let more tears stream from her eyes. Chiyo shook her head.

"No…No flower, do not worry. I am very old. Sasuke is right. You should listen to him." Chiyo said continuing her walk before stopping and turning, and she show onyx eyes that looked more close to an extremely dark maroon or burgundy. Sasuke furrowed his eyebrows as Sakura stood with tears still in her eyes. Why was Sakura being so extremely emotional about Chiyo? What was Chiyo's significance to her?

With a blow of the wind, Chiyo disappeared without a trace around a corner, making Sasuke glare and release his hand off his gun finally. Sakura turned to him placing her hands against his chest and gripping his shirt.

"S-Sasuke-kun, please! Let me go to her!" Sasuke stared into her tear filled green eyes for a long moment. Why? What was so important? He sighed.

"Let's get to the car. She lives in one of the last parts of the forests about forty minutes away from here." Sasuke gave in and began walking with Sakura following him in haste. She wiped her tears away but her eyes still held that worried gaze. He stared at her secretly.

What was she going to do with Chiyo anyway?

He wasn't too sure about this, but continued on into his black Dodge Charger, with Sakura in the passenger seat, driving off.

Reaching the place, Sakura burst out the car running towards the house. Sasuke stood keeping his eyes on her watching as she opened the door and ran in. Sasuke followed in, and was slightly surprised to see there was absolutely nothing in the house. No furniture, no pictures, not even much of a kitchen. It was just the kitchen sink inside and a large pot. He turned into the living room seeing the old woman sitting in a rocking chair beside a window. Sakura was kneeling in front of her holding her hand.

"_thgirla si eno siht…enif si eno siht_." The old woman said, with a shaking whisper in another language Sasuke had never in his life heard before. But for whatever reason…the language sounded familiar. The dark maroon black eyes smiled almost tiredly at Sakura.

"_pleh ot sehsiw eno siht_." Sakura whimpered. The old woman chuckled and she took her hand, taking it away from Sakura's, and placing it against her head.

"_Enif eb lla lliw ti, dlich, woon. dedne tsomla sah emÏt ym dna, dlo ma I. woon uoy rof emÏt si ti._" And it was with this that tears rolled down Sakura's face, and the streams were caressed away by Chiyo. Sasuke watched not truly understanding what exactly was going on, but he could feel a sorrow feeling in his heart…he didn't understand why. He placed a hand against his chest.

"_Ouy deen elpoep eseht. Em deen regonl oon yeht. Gnihton evah I, woon dna, meht ot oga gnol esoprup ym ffo dëvÏl I. Nosdnarg devoleb ym neve toon. Cherry Blossom emas eht od tnod, ouy nraw I dna, meht otni dednelb evi._" The old woman said before a blue and green essence came from her arm and began to flow into Sakura. Sakura closed her eyes only to open them again, and her eyes became a glowing white. Sasuke immediately brought out his gun aiming it at Chiyo, but stopped when the green and blue essence disappeared slowly, as if leaving Chiyo entirely.

That's when Sasuke's eyes widen looking at Chiyo.

She held ragged breaths, with hard breathing, and closed eyes. Her skin had become paler then before and her hair, once, all a light pure grey, was now a dark dead grey. The light from her eyes had faded, and she dropped her hand almost lifelessly. Then Sasuke saw it. The veins…the same ones Sakura had when she had no water for so many hours, were showing, but for her, they went all the way to her nose, and beneath her eyes.

"_napsefil regonl a uoy erusne dlouhs siht. Tey ti woonk tnseod eh hguoht neve, ydaerla uoy sevol rotcetorp ruoy taht woonk, sekatsim ym teaper ot erra uoy fi." _Sakura got a confused look in her eyes like she didn't understand what the woman was saying at the moment.

"_dnastrednu tnod I. Rotcetorp ym? Fo kaeps uoy od sekatsim tahw dna?" _Chiyo gave a broken chuckle, and smiled with tears falling down her face. She caressed Sakura's face herself, and placed her arm on the armrest of the chair.

"_dlihc gnuoy llits erra uoy. Treah ruoy ni __rehtoM __htiw llew dna gnol ëvÏl uoy yaam dna, yenrouj ruoy noo luferac eb…" _Chiyo whispered closing her eyes and breathing out one last breath before her chest stopped heaving. Sakura let more tears fall down her face and cried into her hands, hunched over on her knees.

"_Yrros ma I…" _ Sakura whispered and continued her sobbing. Sasuke walked over placing his still revealed gun to the ground, and held Sakura close.

"Sakura…it's okay. She is in a better place now." He started to comfort her. She looked up at him with waterfalls still on her face and he unconsciously caressed them away.

"We…we were too late. She had already given up." Sakura cried out lowly, and held onto Sasuke. He hesitantly hugged her close and looked at Chiyo…only to find there was no Chiyo at all. Instead there, in the chair, was a dark near black, maroon Orchid, lifeless, and it's petals a less lively black maroon color. His eyes went from concerned to saddened, and he understood close to everything. That kind of connection Sakura and her seemed to have instantly finally actually made sense.

Chiyo was actually another flower…but if that was the case, why didn't they copy her a long time ago? Was she too over developed or something? What was the purpose of having Sakura when they had Chiyo here from so many years? He looked down at Sakura, lifting her gently to her feet.

"Come on Sakura…let's go home." He said pulling her, looking back at the Orchid that lied in the chair, with the sunset shining dimly upon it. He looked back at Sakura…would the same thing happen to her in her death? Would her _vessel_ disappear and she would turn back into the flower she once was?

He sighed and went to pick up the Orchid only to have his hand stopped.

"No! Don't ever do that!" Sakura yelled at him with a glare of her own. His eyes turned into slight shock until seeing Sakura's eyes change into more sadness and she looked down.

"She chose her place to die. You are to leave her be…" She whispered. Sasuke nodded and moved away from the chair with respect and he bowed to the flower before looking around the empty room. His eyes caught a picture on a desk that he slowly picked up, revealing Chiyo, slightly younger, with a young boy with light maroon hair and onyx eyes smiling at the picture. Sasuke's eyes turned red and he glared down at the boy. He recognized that face almost immediately. His hand gripped the picture frame tighter.

"Sasuke-kun…what is it?" Sakura suddenly asked. Sasuke turned back towards her, his eyes returning back to onyx as soon as he looked at her, and he placed the picture down.

"It's nothing Sakura. Let's go." He said walking with Sakura at his side. His eyes remained serious, and he wondered about Chiyo's warning.

'_She certainly wasn't the traitor she herself spoke of otherwise she would've killed Sakura when she had the chance. But…that picture, there's no doubt that's her grandson, and there's no shadow of a doubt on the identity of that boy.' _Sasuke thought over, knitting his jet black eyebrows together, deep in thought. He hadn't even noticed he had been sitting inside the car for fifteen minutes, nor did he notice Sakura staring at him, and tracing his features with her eyes.

He had jet black hair, slightly messy, but a nice messy. He had long bangs that framed his handsome face, and some pieces of those strands went in front of it, and then the rest of the hair, oddly stood up in the back. It looked spiky but for whatever reason, it was actually natural and soft.

The words of Chiyo rang in her mind again. Something about repeating the same mistakes she had made…what were those mistakes? Why? She also spoke of her grandson. Sakura didn't understand it, and with that she moved over to sit on Sasuke's lap giving him a surprise. He was broken from his thoughts, and felt Sakura's face buried into his neck. He looked down at her, with a slight shock in his eyes.

"I want to go home…" She whispered. Sasuke turned on the car but Sakura shook her head.

"I want to go to Mother." She said. Sasuke stared at her feeling his heart race. She wanted to become a flower again...but he didn't have the authority for that, nor could he fail his mission. He looked towards the road.

"You'll have to wait for that Sakura. I don't have the power to do that." He explained shortly, and began to drive, letting Sakura remain on his lap. She looked from up at him to out the window…watching the gloomy city pass her eyes as they drove through. How could people live like this? Sure…she was a flower, and she truly didn't know two things about humans, but now that she saw their way of life, now that she saw them at all…

Why were they even still alive?

They played in cement, danced in buildings, worshipped food, and had no kind of sensitivity towards each other. The first day she had actually seen one person beating up the other. In the mall, she saw a man running from a pregnant woman with her goods which he stole.

Why were they so hateful towards each other?

As a flower, she respected her soil. She respected the grass that surrounded her, and she couldn't help but love the water. And all of these things loved her back. Why couldn't these humans love each other? Her eyes lowered in sadness.

"Sasuke-kun…" She whispered. He grunted.

"Why…do humans hurt each other?" Her curiosity could no longer be contained. He thought about it before shaking his head.

"I don't know Sakura. I guess it has to do with right and wrong. Who's better and who's worse, stuff like that." He slightly explained. Sakura placed her head back into the crook of his neck her eyes watered but no tears spilled.

Right from Wrong?

What was wrong? What was right?

She couldn't take these constant questions anymore. With the closing of her eyes Sakura falling into a deep slumber, where she hoped to be rid of the questions.

Sasuke sighed. Humanity…why did they even try and save it? There was close to nothing left to save anyway.

Sasuke stopped the car in front of his house, and lifted her, with himself to the best of his ability without waking her. He succeeded and closed the car door, before walking into his apartment. He placed her in his bed, and sat in a chair himself before closing his eyes.

A voice rang in his ears and his eyes snapped open, with the cocking of his gun again looking around for anyone. He glared at the words with the voice mixed with a human's voice and the hissing of a _snake _filled with warning_._

Another warning. Sasuke growled.

'_A flower'__s__ life i__s__ very brief. Remember that __S__a__s__uke-kun.'_

* * *

><p><strong>Hey guys this is the conversation between Sakura and Chiyo. And don't worry its in order of what they said. And basically, it's the same words, just backwards! :D Because I'm awesome…You have no idea how long it took me to write that though…=.=…Sakura is the italics, Chiyo is the underlined italics.<strong>

"_This one is alright…This one is fine." _

"_This one wishes to help."_

"_I am old, and my time has almost ended. Now, child, it will all be fine. It is time for you now."_

"_These people need you. They no longer need me. I lived off my purpose long ago to them, and now, I have nothing. Not even my beloved grandson. I've blended into them, and I warn you, don't do the same Cherry Blossom."_

"_This should ensure you a longer lifespan. If you are to repeat my mistakes, know that your protector loves you already, even though he doesn't know it yet."_

"_I don't understand. My protector? And what mistakes do you speak of?" _

"_You are still young child. Be careful on your journey, and may you live long and well with Mother in your heart…"_

"_I am sorry…"_

**That'll be all folks! See you in the next chapter! I hope you liked this one! Please review guys!**


	4. Chapter 4: Suspicion

**Hey guys here's the new chapter! Sorry for the slight wait. Hehe. By the way guys before you continue, I just want you to know I have a Youtube Channel, only for my Fanfiction news. The link is in my profile if you guys haven't seen it or looked at it yet! **

**Please go take a look at it, and subscribe for a bit more faster and more reliable news on the stories I'll be posting up.**

**Soooo ANYWAY! Enough with Youtube it's time for some more stories! Here's The Last Flower! Chapter Four! Wooo!**

* * *

><p>-Chapter 4: Suspicion<p>

Onyx eyes looked at the flower that kneeled on his bed staring out the window. Though she knew he was there she didn't acknowledge his presence. It hurt him slightly. He knew she knew he was there, and the fact that she would not even turn to look at him half the time for the past month, gave him pain he did not understand.

He sighed and his eyes turned sorrowful.

Sakura was a little depressed. She hadn't spoken much ever since Chiyo's death a month ago, and was almost always looking outside the window by his bed. She hadn't even asked to go outside lately. She just sat there, staring off into the difference, looking at the uneven horizon that was the sky and the dreaded cement and brick buildings that had taken over the world. He stared at her, walking in to bring her a bucket of water again. She didn't seem to even want it from the look of rejection she gave it. Her sad eyes only glanced at it, before they turned away, back towards the window.

"Sakura…Chiyo wouldn't want you this way." Sasuke tried to comfort her. Sakura shook her head.

"It's not only I mourning…It's Mother. She's so upset…" Sakura whispered closing her eyes. Her voice was broken and low as if she had cried a thousand tears, and screamed a million bloody murders. He stared at her again before sitting beside Sakura looking out the window. He could see there was the same blue sky, and just the slightest breeze. No storm clouds, and no tornados. No volcanic eruptions, and no death.

At least Mother was merciful about Chiyo's death. Maybe it was because she wasn't killed like the rest of her children.

"Sakura, I have to ask you something…and you don't have to tell me okay?" Sakura looked over with sad eyes and nodded. Sasuke sighed and began to brush her hair gently with a water soaked brush. He found Sakura liked it by accident once. She was sitting down and he clumsily tripped over his own feet after staring at her, but in his hand there was a glass of water. Though not all the water spilled out, a portion fell on top of Sakura's head, and she came out of her sad state to moan in pleasure.

Even now she purred as the wet brush caressed her scalp and fell upon her hair. He made sure to be gentle, and made sure not to pull on any tangles.

"That day Chiyo passed away…what were you and her saying to each other?" Sasuke asked. Sakura let her eyes only lower as she remembered Chiyo's words.

"She said she was okay, that I didn't have to come to her like she had asked. She also warned me to not make some kind of mistake she had made herself." Sakura spoke hesitantly. Sasuke furrowed his eyebrows together. Why did Chiyo ask for Sakura's attendance, then not want it in the end?

"She said that it was my time, and that the world needed me now. Then she spoke of my protector." Sakura told all. Sasuke's eyes narrowed. He was her protector…unless Sakura didn't exactly understand his role to her.

"Sasuke-kun, who is my protector? And…why does the world need me?" She asked.

"Why does it matter?" He asked slightly shocked at her second question. She didn't overhear their reason for putting her into a human vessel while she was in the tube, and he believe all she heard was how long she would be staying with him. However, what struck him and made him confused is the one question that ran through his mind.

How come the Earth didn't 'tell' Sakura that if she was dead, everyone would die?

He looked into her eyes; jade green showed complete confusion. He continued to brush through her hair deciding not to tell her just yet. Sakura remained silent and began to play with her fingers. She shook her head slowly and lied down against the bed next to Sasuke with her hair still damp with cool water.

"I wish not to speak anymore. Mother is too upset." Sakura whimpered. Sasuke caressed her hair away from her face, and sighed.

"Sakura, a man is going to be coming here to inspect you in a few minutes okay. Will you please have your drink?" Sasuke asked her. She turned sitting up and letting her feet grace the water. She sighed and closed her eyes with a smile. Sasuke couldn't help but smile. He found something about Sakura drinking her water so beautiful. It was something so gracious to watch. She looked at peace, and with a small smile, she always lifted her head up. She gave a small smile, and let her eyes open again. She stepped out the bucket and walked along the ground.

"Sasuke-kun, you'll be here, right? When the man comes?" Sasuke nodded at her question.

"Sakura, remember our rules. You are to always stick by my side and in my sight." He said, caressing hair away from her face again, and for whatever reason, gently grabbing her hand, as if to assure his words. She smiled and heard the knocking of the front door. Sasuke walked ahead with Sakura following him, and opened the door to Kabuto who smiled.

"Hello Sasuke. And hello Sakura! How are you today?" He asked stepping in the apartment. Sasuke stopped.

How did Kabuto know to call her Sakura?

Sakura nodded and remained at Sasuke's right side.

"We've been fine." Sasuke answered feeling Sakura get closer to him. He narrowed his eyes slightly. Sakura…never did that when seeing people, and she had already met a few of his friends. Sure he didn't understand a lot of her actions but instead of straight to his right, she was actually inching to be behind him. As if she was scared of Kabuto. He remembered what Chiyo said about the traitor being among them, and with that warning he had to take close to everyone in ANBU as a suspect, but Kabuto seemed almost…out of the question. First meeting him, he was rather timid, and then later friendly and kind.

"If you'll please, have a seat Cherry Blossom let's get this little exam done." Kabuto said smiling and opened a brief case to reveal syringes. Sasuke inwardly glared at Kabuto.

He realized his small mistake.

She shook her head.

"S-Sasuke-kun, I don't want to." She whispered. There was a small glimpse of anger in Kabuto's eyes that looked of slight malice and murder before they returned to timid and friendly orbs behind grey bangs.

"Now Cherry Blossom, there is nothing to be afraid of." He said smiling. Sasuke inwardly glared at Kabuto it before he turned and looked at Sakura trying to push away the growing instinct to protect Sakura. He couldn't understand what he was feeling. It was something similar to anger, and hatred towards Kabuto but the most overwhelming feeling was to protect Sakura with his life, and that encouraged killing Kabuto with a slow death. He didn't know where it came from, but the small signs that would seem like nothing to others were too alarming for him to ignore, and he wanted to kill and destroy Kabuto now.

Sakura's close to instinctive fear of Kabuto.

Kabuto somehow already knowing to call the Cherry Blossom, Sakura.

The look of hatred Kabuto had displayed in that split second.

"Sakura, it's okay, he just wants to take a sample from you, that's all." Sasuke said slightly distraught but aware by Sakura's actions. The distraught in his voice was only an act to make sure Kabuto himself suspected nothing.

"Sakura?" Kabuto questioned, as if not knowing the meaning of the name he said moments ago. Sasuke held back the looks of suspicion and nodded but kept his eyes on Kabuto's demeanor. He observed just about everything and found nothing out of the ordinary on Kabuto. He seemed like the normal Kabuto, with large round glasses and gray hair pulled back into a pony tail with the bangs over his forehead.

"It's what she wants to be called." Sasuke hesitantly brought up still looking at Kabuto with eyes of mistrust masked by a blank stare.  
>But surely Kabuto already knew that.<p>

"Sakura, go on ahead and sit down. It's okay. I'm right here." He tried to comfort her. She looked at him before walking ahead and sitting on the couch. Kabuto walked over to kneel in front of her and injected the syringe, taking red liquid out of her body. She stared at him with slight fear in her eyes, and a great deal of dislike.

"There we go! All done, Sakura." He said with a smile, taking the syringe out of her. She moved away from him immediately, hugging her legs to her chest and glaring at him.

"Is everything alright with her Sasuke?" Kabuto asked standing. Sasuke crossed his arms.

"She's pretty stubborn, and doesn't really like being told what to do. And when she actually has to, it upsets her. Don't worry about it." Sasuke covered. Sure Sakura was hardheaded but…she wasn't stubborn enough to seem slightly scared of someone. Kabuto nodded completely taking the bait.

"I see. Well, I'll be back in another two weeks to check on her." Kabuto said walking to the door and putting the syringe in the brief case carefully. He stopped looking back at the flower who glared at him on the couch.

"And might I say Sakura, you're very, very beautiful." Kabuto said with a smile. Sakura tensed and she looked away with a glare in her eyes. Sasuke tensed himself. He didn't like the rather predator like look Kabuto had in his eyes towards Sakura. It was like he was raping her with his eyes, and Sasuke didn't like it.

Sakura…Sakura was too pure, too innocent for that. She didn't deserve that. He would kill any man before they even were able to reach out and grab a piece of her clothing. Kabuto turned to Sasuke.

"As I said I'll be back in two weeks." Sasuke nodded before closing the door on him, and locking the door. He looked at Sakura with an uneasy feeling. Sakura sat there, almost looking traumatized by Kabuto's presence. She seemed scared and kept on rubbing her arms, and legs as if she was trying to get something off. Sasuke clenched his hands into fist.

"Sasuke-kun, I don't want him back here." She said looking away. Sasuke sat in front of her on the couch.

"Sakura, why don't you want him here…"

"I don't like him. He's bad. He's a bad man Sasuke-kun." Sakura said almost immediately after he asked his question. He glared at nothing in particular.

"How do you know he's a bad man Sa—"

"I feel his energy. I feel his soul. He's evil Sasuke-kun." Sasuke's eyes widened only slightly, and he knitted his eyebrows together. She whimpered looking away from Sasuke and back at the door where Kabuto once was.

"Sakura, what do you mean you can feel his energy?" Sakura rubbed her arms.

"Mother gives us her powers. We are able to feel the feelings of others, and their life source called chakra." Sakura explained. Sasuke's eyes widened.

Chakra…how did Sakura know about Chakra? Chakra was developed by scientist some fifty years back, and was successfully inputted into a select few humans today in order to enhance their physical abilities. Though the discovery of chakra was unknown, the scientist was credited fully. Yes, society had made large strides despite the pain humanity inflicted on nature.

"Chakra is what Mother gives to all who respect and love her. Chakra is passed through all things living." Sakura said. Sasuke's eyes widened. All things who love and respect her…

So…things could be born with Chakra?

"Everyone has different amount of chakra depending on the soul. It depends on the balance. If one is pure, then the chakra is good and powerful. If someone is neutral the chakra is in between. If one is bad…the chakra is powerful but horrible. You can feel their wrongs, and the pain they have caused to others…" Sakura trailed on and tears welding in her eyes.

"That man…Kabuto…He…He's killed so many innocent people. He's murdered and raped women. And he's just pure evil Sasuke-kun. Please, I don't want him here anymore. Please Sasuke-kun. I don't want him here!" Sakura said crying. Her eyes held pure fear, and Sasuke pulled her close. His eyes glared and he gritted his teeth. Could Kabuto truly be the traitor? He had so much evidence…but it was all circumstantial evidence. He went over it.

Kabuto knew to call the Cherry Blossom Sakura. He would have to investigate how after he asked his next question.

Sakura's feeling of fear…but this was only a feeling. Could they really rely on pure feeling?

Kabuto's look of murder that flashed in his eyes for a moment could not even be considered evidence. He couldn't truly account for that. For all he knew, Kabuto had to sneeze and held it back in fear that the Cherry Blossom would get sick and they couldn't treat her.

Then there were the feelings he felt himself at that moment. The instant reaction to actually attack Kabuto was something he couldn't give to Tsunade. Maybe this next question could help.

"Sakura…you said you could feel their wrongs right…can you see them too?" She nodded at his question. She wiped away her tears slowly.

"Who is Kabuto loyal to? What does he or she look like?" He asked. She started shaking and looked around.

"I…I wish not to speak of him…H-He…he scares me." She whimpered. Sasuke growled and ran to get a paper and pencil.

"Here, draw him. You know? Draw?" She nodded and grabbed the pencil, drawing rather expertly. Sasuke left her to be alone, sure that she would want some time alone. He took this moment to check around, looking for any way that Kabuto might have been watching them the whole time. He ran his hand along the walls of his home, and truly found nothing. He walked into his bedroom, where he and Sakura slept.

Between the mattress of his bed, there was a digital recorder…tiny to the point where it might fit Sakura's petite hand. Sasuke glared at it.

On the back was an S with an intricate design of its font. He recognized the font as Edwardian Script. Sasuke glared and gritted his teeth, crushing the device, taking the piece still intact with the S, putting it in his pocket. This small thing was important. He walked back into the living room, checking the top of his door, he found another one. He glared again, his eyes flashed red for a split second.

It was the same thing. An Edwardian Scripted S. He decided he wouldn't destroy this one, and instead, pressed the play.

_Sakura! Sakura! _This was the day he had lost her in his own house. The day she was on death's door.

_Sakura-Chan, wanna play a game? It's fun! Wanna try? _Naruto's voice. This was the day Naruto and a few friends came over.

_Dobe, leave her alone. She is not going to play strip poker. No one is. _Sasuke couldn't help but smirk. Sakura was rather confused that day, and he had explained it to her, with the others in the room. They all laughed when she smacked Naruto upside his head, with rather impressive strength. He literally flew over the table and his face hit the refrigerator door.

_Sasuke-kun, can we go for a walk?_

_Sure. Get your boots on. _

It went on and on and on. He erased everything, walking into his bedroom, and pressed the record button. Two could play at this game. He placed it back on the top of the door, making sure it wasn't recording anymore. Kabuto or someone else working for the other side would listen to it.

He came back to Sakura to her calling and looked down at the paper with wide eyes. Sakura drew a man, whose face was known widely. A long face of evil, with a smirk on his face, and narrowed eyes that if she had colored in would be gold; this was the face of a monster. She also put in long black hair which she shaded in. The look in his eyes was even cruel.

"Sakura…this is who he is loyal to?" Sasuke asked, his voice shaking in anger. She nodded. His eyes flashed red with anger.

"Are you sure?" He growled. She nodded again. Sasuke immediately ran, grabbing his shoes and guns, along with a leather jacket. He would have to warn everyone.

"Sasuke-kun, where are we going?" She asked. Sasuke grabbed her hand pulling her while running. He only stopped to grab the portrait Sakura had drawn.

'_I have to warn everyone. I better get to Tsunade fast.' _Sasuke growled putting Sakura into the car and hopping over the hood to get into the driver's seat, before he pulled out of the parking spot and sped off. The thirty minute ride was tense and silent. He ran red lights, cut cars off, just about everything a reckless driver would do. He drove straight to the ANBU Company building. He floored the gas pedal before turning the wheel so the car was sideways and at the same time pressed on the break. Sakura gave a small gasp and a hint of fear was in her eyes. They stopped right in front of the stairs on the large building.

He grabbed Sakura running inside, passing Shizune who looked worried, and he began running up the stairs. Shizune's call was ignored by Sasuke but Sakura had looked back, allowing her green eyes to meet hers before she turned back following Sasuke. Sakura was surprisingly actually keeping up. She was right by his side. She was starting to pant though. He stopped and looked at her, making sure she was okay.

"Sakura, I'm sorry…We have t—" Sakura shook her head.

"Warn the others?" She asked panting. Sasuke bit his bottom lip. She was tired, though she was trying to mask it, and they had a good twenty something floors to go. He nodded to her question. She started to run ahead of him, and he couldn't help but get a pained look in his eyes.

After all the pain human society has put her through, she was still trying to help. After the killing of her brothers and sisters, she pressed forward. Her green eyes showed determination, and there was no giving in for any reason. She was pushing herself to help them. How could someone or something be so forgiving? Why? He knew if it was him, he wouldn't be so kind. He would never forgive for the killing of his loved ones the way she did. He still didn't despite that night Sakura gently told him to forgive and forget.

"Sakura!" He called stopping her and running after her. She ran an extra three flights before his yell. He picked her up onto his back, and ran upstairs. Sakura smiled grabbing on tightly. And Sasuke would never truly get use to how light she was. Sure, she had some weight to her, but it truly took no effort to run with her as it would with a normal person. He got to the last floor Tsunade was on, and kicked down the doors, walking in still holding Sakura. Tsunade looked at him with a start, and widened hazel eyes.

"Sasuke Uchiha you know better than to burst into my office like that!" Tsunade angrily screamed. Her once dull hazel eyes came up from her stack of papers, and flared at the man before her.

"We have bigger problems then breaking into offices Tsunade!" Sasuke immediately said.

"Sasuke-Teme what's going on? Hey Sakura-Chan!" Naruto said smiling, as Sakura was let go and she walked over to hug Naruto. Naruto had just come back from a mission, but had already spent time with Sakura often.

"Tsunade, we have a traitor among us." Sasuke immediately got straight to the point. Tsunade however was looking straight at Sakura. Sakura looked at Naruto with a smile on her face before looking at Tsunade. Her eyes turned curious before Sasuke growled and stepped in front of Sakura.

"Damn it! This is serious! There's a traitor among us!" Sasuke growled. Tsunade only nodded.

"I know there is a traitor. I have already been informed." She said staring. Sasuke looked down.

"I have reason to suspect that it's Kabuto." Sasuke said with a shaking voice. He remembered the eyes Kabuto gave to Sakura; hateful, lustful, rapping eyes behind gleaming glasses. It made him want to kill him. Naruto and Tsunade's eyes widened.

"Kabuto? No way! The guy's a punk! He couldn't hurt a fly!" Naruto said. Upon hearing the name Kabuto, Sakura whimpered and grabbed Sasuke's arm feeling more protection then she previously did. He looked down at her, gritting his teeth together. All that was on his mind was her protection. He grabbed her waist with a protective hold, not knowing this was bringing even more shock to Tsunade and Naruto. Sakura didn't even object. She nuzzled her face into his chest, while he looked determined. That switch that had been implanted into his brain when he received her was on.

He would not.

He would _not_.

He would _not _have anyone _**hurt her.**_

He would be damned before they even touched her. His eyes looked back up to Tsunade, angered onyx rampaged into hazel.

"I've found digital recorders in my house. He was smart enough not to use wires." Sasuke pulled out the broken piece, holding the S. The Edwardian scripted S caressed the black metal, in gold coloring, as he placed it in front of Tsunade. Her eyes narrowed.

'_This…this is no doubt Sound work.' _She thought in her mind. She glared at it, restraining herself from crushing the small piece.

"That isn't all Tsunade." Sasuke said, calling her attention. Hazel eyes looked back into onyx with the same fire the onyx orbs held.

"With Chakra…Sakura can do more than sense it. She can see the hearts of people, their memories, and their doings." Sasuke explained. Tsunade looked at Sakura with slightly wide eyes.

"Sakura?"

"It's what we call her." Naruto explained smiling and standing beside Sakura and Sasuke. Sasuke glared.

"That doesn't matter right now! Sakura saw his memories, and saw who exactly he's loyal to! I asked her to draw him or her, and she drew this!" Sasuke yelled bringing out the portrait of the man Sakura had drawn. Tsunade's eyes widened as did Naruto's, and everyone's heart surged with anger while Sakura's surged with fear.

"O-Orochimaru…" Tsunade whispered with shaking hands.


	5. Chapter 5: The Evidence

-Chapter 5: The Evidence

Sasuke looked down. His grip on Sakura became more protective by the second. He hadn't even realized that he had been holding her for the last few minutes. The room was silent, but the air was stuffy. It had become tenser, and almost suffocating. Sakura's face remained buried into Sasuke's chest, and Naruto was glaring at nothing in particular. Tsunade's eyes narrowed in anger.

"That's not all…he's spoken to me again." Sasuke growled. Naruto's eyes widened and Tsunade's became serious.

"B-But I thought we got rid of him from you! I thought we broke the connection! There's no way he could've spoken to you!" Naruto yelled. Sasuke shook his head.

"I thought so too. But that same night Chiyo had died, he spoke." Sasuke snarled between gritted white teeth remembering the voice that rang in his ears that whole entire night.

'_A flower's life is very brief.'_

Sasuke growled. Even now it haunted him, and he shut his eyes.

'_Remember that Sasuke-kun.'_

It echoed over and over and over. He didn't get much sleep at all. It came down to him sitting beside Sakura's sleeping form watching her. Tsunade sat down entwining a bridge between her fingers and placing her lips against it in deep thought. What should she do? What could she do? What was the best course of action for all this?

Should she investigate Kabuto?

If she did, would she have solid evidence?

She looked at Sakura with slight hopelessness. But in looking at the flower she felt a calmness in herself and found herself staring longer, and in feeling Tsunade's hazel eyes, Sakura looked back to her from Sasuke's chest. Her eyes held pain, and fear, like she felt the pain of everyone who had been hurt.

They stared at each other for what seemed like forever. And without breaking the eye contact, Tsunade put the bridge of her hands down onto the desk, and her frown twitched to a small smile.

"Sakura…" Tsunade said smiling more. Her smile was determined and confident. With it, Sakura lifted her head a little more as Tsunade stretched out her hand and let a green glow come from it. Sakura's eyes went from full of fear, to calm and relaxed. She looked at Tsunade and a smile reached her own face.

"You know who I am, don't you." Tsunade stated with a smile. Sakura touched her chest where her heart was and nodded. Sakura slowly began walking towards Tsunade with the release of Sasuke's arms, and a green glow emitted from her own hand before she grabbed Tsunade's and closed her eyes. The green essence flowed around the room, in a slow solid mist.

It began to touch and cover the walls of the office and everything turned into a valley like area, where there was nothing but grass all over the place with a large hill which they stood upon. The building seemingly disappeared as did everything in Tsunade's office. Their new location was isolated and covered away from human eyes by a few trees and a great deal of rocky and mountainous terrain that from the looks of it was impossible to walk upon.

Naruto immediately began looking around.

"Gah! Where are we?" Naruto yelled grabbing his blond spiky head. Sasuke himself looked around astonished at what just happened but only furrowed his eyebrows. Sakura opened her eyes as did Tsunade who now stood in front of her. Sakura looked around and a gleam appeared on her face.

"Home…" She whispered. She let go of Tsunade's hand getting down on her knees and touching the patch of grass that was left there. This is where she had grown. She smiled closing her eyes, as her fingertips lightly caressed the grass before she lied down caressing the green strands of Earth. Sasuke's eyes widened. Looking at the geography of Sakura's growing place, he couldn't help but think...

How in the living world did they find Sakura? How did they even get to her?

"Tsunade-baa-chan…what's going on?" Tsunade smiled at Naruto's question. She kneeled down to Sakura caressing the girl's face and bringing it to look at her. She looked like a mother, showing loving care to her daughter. With this Sakura took in the details that made up Tsunade.

A young face of a twenty something year old as well as a twenty something year old body to go with it. She had a blue crystal on her forehead. Her hazel eyes were full of life and fire, surrounded by full eyelashes. Her blond hair had bangs that framed her face down a little past her chin, and the rest was tied into two low pig tails that fell down to the middle of her back. She wore an open grey button down shirt that expressed a large amount of cleavage, wrapped with a navy blue belt at her waist. Over this was a long army green blazer that fell a little past her hips. She then wore navy blue fitted slacks and her feet were adorned with navy blue open toed heels.

Tsunade soon saw Sakura was finished observing her and spoke.

"Sakura, I want you to show us Kabuto's past…will you do that for us?"

"Tsunade no offence, but what does bringing us to…wherever we are, have to do with showing Kabuto's past?" Sasuke asked. Tsunade simply looked down at Sakura, ignoring the boys. Sakura sat up, and looked away in thought. Her green eyes held pain again, and turned stern.

"But…his past…it's terrible. I wish not to. All those women and people…all those innocent women and people…" Sakura said biting her bottom lip as her voice trailed off. Tsunade's eyes turned saddened as she continued to listen.

"Dead, all of them…dead, for no reason but personal gain." Sakura whispered looking away again. Tsunade brushed a hand through Sakura's hair.

"I know, I know, but this is very important okay? The more we find out about his past, the better we can get rid of him. Don't you want such a terrible man to be gone for good?" Tsunade asked. Sakura nodded eagerly. Tsunade gave a warmer smile.

"Then I ask you kindly, please show us his past. If you wish not to, I understand, but you must if you wish for him to be gone forever." Sakura looked away with Tsunade's words seemingly taking them in.

"You promise…? He'll be gone for good?" Sakura asked with serious eyes. Green met hazel, as Tsunade placed her hand over her heart.

"_Elif ym htiw raews I. em nevig sah kcab evig dna, rethoM htiw ecnaigella ym kaerb llash I, esimorp ym ot pu nwo toon I dluohs dna." _Tsunade spoke in that same language Chiyo and Sakura had spoke in. Sakura looked down and back at Tsunade with determined eyes. Warm truthful hazel, bore into suspicious emerald. After Sakura confirmed Tsunade was truthful, she smiled determinedly, and nodded. Tsunade stood along with Sakura, and watched as the pink haired woman began making hand signs with her eyes closed with a speed only seen by them.

Sakura opened her eyes stopping at one hand sign, and she slapped a hand to the ground. The place spun, and the once blue sky turned dark, and the valley slowly disintegrated into cracked concrete streets. Sakura looked around nodding at her accomplishment.

"Whoa…" Naruto whispered. Sasuke looked at Sakura with shocked eyes.

"Showing her the place she grew from makes her stronger. This way she can use her own powers, and we don't have to worry." Tsunade whispered to Sasuke and Naruto as Sakura walked ahead. Sakura pointed looking at Sasuke, Naruto and Tsunade, with an urge in her eyes.

"That way! Please hurry!" She said with haste in her eyes and tone.

"Lead the way Sakura…" Tsunade said following Sakura as she began running. After some time running Sakura came upon an alleyway, slowing to a stop, where a woman was trying to scream, and where Kabuto was smirking down at her, having her tied up in chakra strings, her mouth covered by his large palm. Sakura stared at the woman. Brown eyes almost seemed to look at her with tears.

But this was the past. And with the past, there was no changing.

"I'm sorry." Sakura whispered.

"May you rest with Mother peacefully…" She said closing her eyes and burying her face into Sasuke's chest as Kabuto stabbed the woman. Naruto clenched his hands into fist with a glare, and Sasuke glared with red eyes. Tsunade gritted her teeth tightly, and made her palms bleed as Kabuto ripped apart the woman's shirt. The woman was still alive. He stabbed her in a place, where she would be immobile, but would be aware.

He wanted her to suffer.

Sakura began to cry looking at Sasuke.

"I told you. He's evil. He's bad Sasuke-kun. I told you!" She cried and Sasuke only held her tighter nodding.

"I know Sakura. I know. I believed you." He said. She stared into his red eyes, searching for something…instead she began to take in the details of his new eyes.

Crimson red took over onyx, and his black pupil was surrounded by three commas. Her eyes became half lidded and she gave a slight smile. Emerald green continued to stare into crimson only to be broken away by Tsunade's voice.

"Okay Sakura…this is good. Now I need you to show me a memory of his, where he is with his master." Sakura looked at Sasuke almost asking for permission after Tsunade had spoken to her. Sasuke nodded releasing his hold on her, and watched as Sakura started the hand signs again, and she slammed the hand against the alley wall. The memory stopped and again their surroundings disintegrating into a chamber like place, and they followed Kabuto down a flight of dungeon like stairs.

Sakura stopped, remaining on the same step they had appeared on, showing her reluctance of going down there. Her eyes were filled with fear and she shook her head, stepping back up the stairs. There was something or someone down there she feared, and Sasuke had no doubt it was most likely Orochimaru. He had never seen so much fear in her eyes when she spoke of him, or drew him. The other three stopped turning to the flower.

But her eyes went past them, and down the stairs. Her hands shook, and body trembled. Her eyes filled with tears and her bottom lip quivered. This was no doubt a man she could feel herself.

Sasuke grabbed Sakura's hand squeezing it tightly.

"It's okay Sakura. Remember I'm right here. I won't let anyone hurt you." Sasuke whispered into her ear. After a small moment of looking into his eyes, Sakura began walking, being close to Sasuke at all times. They all continued walking in behind Kabuto who entered a large room, where the very same man she drew sat on a throne like chair, with a smirk on his face in the dimly lit room. Upon seeing him Sakura began crying, and she grabbed Sasuke tightly. Sasuke's eyes lowered.

She knew this was the murderer of her brothers and sisters.

"My Lord, the flower has been acquired and made into a human vessel. Should I steal it, and work on her here?" Kabuto asked after kneeling before the snake like man. The man chuckled.

"No. Patience Kabuto, patience, we will have the flower soon enough. I feel her. You will work on her over there, and let them have her. Let them have some hope, so I can crush it later." Orochimaru chuckled, and grabbed a glass of something to drink it. Sakura put a hand to her mouth as the cup was put down and thick liquid slipped down the corner of his lip on the left side. Sasuke, Naruto, and Tsunade looked over to Sakura.

Sakura stared back at the monster. His eyes seemed to gleam over her though she knew he couldn't see her, she felt those gold eyes. Despite this being the past, she felt him at this very moment. And she knew what that liquid was…

"Such sweetness those few flowers produce. Such a shame I have to burn them all." The pale man said his eyes moving to the cup as he playfully swirled it with his wrist. Sakura stepped back crying harder.

Sasuke's eyes became worried as he tried to speak to Sakura, but his words were only ignored. Orochimaru's eyes looked back over to Sakura as he chugged the rest of the cup.

"Now...if I only had the legendary Cherry Blossom...the one said to taste the best of them all..." Orochimaru chuckled looking at his gold cup. Sakura's eyes widened and she grabbed her chest. The tears fell faster down her face. Gold eyes gleamed.

"The lovely nectar of the Cherry Blossom. I haven't had it for years. I still remember it vividly before killing all of them." Sakura's eyes grew the widest they ever went, and she started to scream. Everything around them disappeared, and returned to Tsunade's office. Sakura dropped down to her knees clenching her heart while Sasuke grabbed her.

"Sakura! Sakura!" Sasuke screamed holding her tightly. She continually cried, lying in Sasuke's arms clenching her chest. Tsunade knitted her eyebrows together and her eyes widened, before she touched her own chest.

"Somewhere…another patch of Earth is being destroyed…" Naruto's eyes widened as he turned to Tsunade.

"Are you sure? We stopped Orochimaru's construction! There's no way! It has to be something else!" Naruto yelled. Sakura screamed in agony arching her back in Sasuke's arm, as if trying to rid herself of the pain. Tsunade felt tears sting her eyes, and she nodded.

"They're back to it again. I can feel it." Tsunade said her voice straining to remain strong despite the emotional pain she was feeling.

"And that's why Sakura's in pain right now…she can feel their pain. There must also be pain coming from seeing Orochimaru...he is the killer of most her brothers and sisters." Tsunade explained in a sorrowful whisper. Sakura gasped as more tears escaped her and she screamed louder. Sasuke's eyes turned pained. He couldn't do anything about her pain. There was no way he could find the bastards in time and make them stop. Sakura whimpered looking at Sasuke and he caressed her hair away from her face with a painful look in his eyes.

"S-Sasuke-kun…it hurts. It hurts so badly." She whispered only to him.

"I'm sorry Sakura. I'm sorry, I can't do anything…" He whispered holding her a little tighter. Tsunade and Naruto looked at Sasuke with a conscious look in their eyes. Naruto grinned and Tsunade gave a shocked look. Sakura panted and began to cry. Sobs filled the room, and she curled closer into Sasuke. He figured out what it meant. It meant it was done. The killing of her family was over, but the pain was still lingering. And this only made him regret the words he had said to her before.

She knew more pain than he ever did.

Tsunade came over and kneeled down beside Sakura in front of Sasuke. Sasuke looked at Sakura gritting his teeth. The pain was still there. He could see it in her eyes.

"Sasuke let me see her." Sasuke looked at Tsunade nodding, and placing Sakura against the ground. She was still crying and whimpering. Sasuke clenched his hands into tight fist, while Naruto leaned down next to Sasuke.

"Tsunade-baa-chan can you help her?" Naruto asked with worried eyes.

"I think so. I'm not too sure" Tsunade said placing her hand over Sakura's heart. Sakura looked up at Tsunade with pleading eyes filled with continuous tears. They seemed endless with the pain of her fallen brothers and sisters. Sasuke watched painfully. Tsunade's hand glowed green, and placed it over Sakura's heart. Sakura closed her eyes with small winces.

"I…I can't heal this pain." Tsunade said letting the green glow subside and taking her hand away from Sakura's heart. Sasuke glared.

"What do you mean you can't heal it?" Sasuke yelled with a glare and fear for Sakura. Sakura winced grabbing her heart again. Tsunade shook her head.

"I can't heal her. I don't have enough power. She's too special, and is only to be healed by something more powerful than me…" Tsunade said closer her eyes in her own pain, placing a hand over her heart. Sakura screamed throwing her head back, and coughing up blood. Tsunade's eyes widened.

"_Sakura!_" Sasuke's calling of her name became more worried and more alert as two streams of blood moved down the corner of Sakura's lips. Her breathing became raspy, and her eyes became even more dull than before. She looked like she no longer even possessed the strength to scream anymore. She seemed so empty, so through. Sasuke glared clenching his hands into fist as he held her tighter. He felt so useless.

Sakura's eyes then began to flutter. Sasuke grabbed her face roughly, only to caress it and bring her closer.

"Sakura, don't you dare. Do you understand me! What is one of our rules? You never leave my side! Remember!" Sasuke growled shaking her. Tsunade stared at Sasuke with slightly shocked eyes.

"Sakura-Chan! No Sakura-Chan!" Hazel eyes shifted over to Naruto's worried ones. Her eyes widened.

'_C-Could they be…' _She stared for a moment before looking back down at Sakura unsure with herself. Her eyes then lifted back to the two men who were desperately trying to keep the flower conscious with gentle shakes of her body and calling her name constantly. Everything in the room became muffled, and sound was lost to her. She heard the murmuring of the flower on death's door and looked down to see her lips moving.

Tsunade immediately put a hand on Sasuke's shoulder.

"Wait…Sasuke, Naruto..." Tsunade looked down at Sakura. Sasuke and Naruto did as she did only to see Sakura murmuring something. It was barely above a whisper. With that they all remained silent to listen to the words that left her lips.

"_Mother, forgive them. They know not what they have done. They know not what they have done. Some are innocent. Some know nothing of this pain we share…keep them from harm Mother. Forgive them. They know not what they have done." _She took in another deep raspy breath only continue murmuring more words.

"_Mother…rid me of my pain. Heal the pain of my fallen brothers and sisters. Heal my pain Mother and return to me my strength. I beg…" _Sakura cried only to be followed by a scream.

"They don't know Mother! They don't know! They know not what they have done!" Sakura screamed out in her pain. Sasuke and Naruto's eyes widened.

"They'll suffer Mother! They know nothing! Please Mother, forgive those who have done no wrong and spare them! They know not what they have done!" Sakura screamed with tears. Her eyes widened and her body went limp, and her eyes slowly closed. Naruto let slow tears fall down his face.

"Sakura-Chan!" Naruto yelled. Sasuke stared at her shakily pressing his fingers against her pulse. A faint beating was felt and he let out a breath of relief and held her closer. Naruto took this as a good sign and smiled out of his own relief. Tsunade knitted her eyebrows together.

"Mother…was giving her the pain…?" Tsunade suggested standing and thinking of Sakura's words. Sasuke lifted Sakura standing himself.

"What are you talking about? The Earth wouldn't do that." Sasuke scoffed. Tsunade crossed her arms.

"I'm experienced with some flowers Sasuke. There actually were one or two flowers turned into humans some time ago, including Chiyo. They have never said such a thing like that. They only said they feel the same pain Mother feels. But they never begged Mother like that for salvation. Besides…I would've felt the same amount of pain if it wasn't directly from the Earth." Tsunade said crossing her arms. Naruto looked down with a pain in his eyes. The sound of Sakura's screams of pain were implanted into his memory.

"But Sakura doesn't know about the Earth's promise." Tsunade's eyes widened at Sasuke's new information.

"What?" Sasuke shook his head.

"She doesn't know. Earlier today she asked me why was she so important to the world. Chiyo had told her that she was what the world needed, but she didn't know why." Sasuke said. Tsunade's eyebrows furrowed and she turned to look outside the window.

'_Mother…why have you not told her? What are you planning? What are you thinking Mother?' _Tsunade's questions ran and she closed her eyes in thought.

"If Sakura continues to get pains like that…she won't be lasting very long." She opened her eyes again to look at the two men in which she gain looks of shock from. She sighed.

"During our connection, I felt that she has taken this abuse for a few years now. This is nothing new. But there is a chance that her heart won't be able to take anymore." Tsunade said crossing her arms keeping her eyes on children who ran down the streets playing. Her eyebrows knitted closer together in slight anger, and frustration.

"Well, Tsunade-baa-chan can't you just tell the Earth to stop giving Sakura the pain? You have connection to Earth Tsunade! Tell her to stop giving Sakura the pain! She'll last if she just stops getting pain." Naruto yelled. Sasuke looked down at Sakura.

Somehow he felt it wasn't as simple as telling the Earth to stop giving Sakura the pain. He felt it was probably simply tied into their bond. Whether the Earth stopped giving her pain or not, Sakura would always feel the pain of her brothers and sisters. It wasn't something that could be controlled, not even by the Earth itself. Tsunade shook her head.

'_If only it were that simple…' _She thought closing her eyes to think for a moment. What was going to be their next move? She opened her eyes and turned to face the blond haired twenty two year old man.

"Naruto, I want you to go ahead and investigate the Sound Village. Find out where new construction is being done, and end it fast. I'm sure it's not going to end just here now." Tsunade commanded and Naruto nodded. He looked at Sakura grabbing her hand gently.

"Don't worry Sakura-Chan. I'll stop them." He whispered squeezing the unconscious woman's hand tightly and looking up at Sasuke. Sasuke read his eyes and glared, holding Sakura tighter. Naruto glared back before rushing out with haste. Tsunade looked at Sasuke and Naruto with slight concern. The tension that rose between them…it was so intense in that small moment.

"Sasuke why don't you go on ahead; take Sakura home. Let her rest a lot and keep her by a window for moonlight or sunlight." Tsunade commanded. Sasuke nodded turning and walking away. Tsunade looked down and sat in her chair. She pushed everything out of her mind, and instead concentrated on her main concern.

Mother had to have been giving Sakura more pain that she would've usually received. Sure she would've screamed in pain, but she would not beg Mother for her life…Tsunade closed her eyes. What was the Earth planning? She bit her bottom lip and her blond eyebrows knitted together in frustration. She grabbed her phone and dialed.

"Hello…" She started with frustration and a voice of solemn.

"We have to meet." She said. She growled at what the answer to this was.

"Not like that asshole! I know you felt the pains unless your head is just that far up your ass nowadays." She growled and her eyes narrowed.

"That's what I thought. How fast can you get here?" She closed her eyes rubbing her forehead.

"Tomorrow is fine." She said opening her eyes again looking down at her desk. Her eyes filled with tears and her voice cracked slightly feeling the pain in her chest again. It was starting a second time, and this time was worse. And as it ended she let out a sob and cried harder. She sniffed and wiped away her tear hearing her contact speak. She gave a small smile at the next phrase said by her contact on the other end and chuckled.

"Alright…See you tomorrow." She said and hung up. She let out a breath and wiped away a stray tear that had fallen down her cheek. She looked down, thinking again. She closed her eyes.

What was she going to do?

She bit her bottom lip, and began to murmur a small prayer to the Earth.

'_RehtoM tneconni eera ohw esoht evigrof. Tneconni eht rof epoh fo lobmys â si Cherry Blossom. Ecnahc dnoces â tneconni eht evig esaelp."_

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><p><strong>Phew. Thanks for reading guys! Here's what Tsunade said, of course in order. I promise.<strong>

I swear with my life. And should I not own up to my promise, I shall break my allegiance with Mother, and give back all she has given me.

Forgive those who are innocent Mother. Sakura is a symbol of hope for the innocent. Please give the innocent a second chance.

**Guys don't forget to check out my YouTube Channel kayy? Here you can get news, videos of any scene you guys want to request, and even a few tiny microscopic sights into future chapters! :D Again the link to it is in my profile! **

**Have a good one guys!**


	6. Chapter 6: Here We Go

**Hey everyone! Welcome to the next chapter! Before you continue reading, I ask you do please read here! HEY! LOOK AT THE BOLD WRITING! HERE! YOOO! Yep. YEP! There ya go! :D Anyway, there is a small song Sakura sings.**

**It's called Fix You by Coldplay. There is another song she sings.**

**Rue's Lullaby or Katniss's Song from the Hunger Games Trilogy which is soon to come out in theaters! MEEP! I CAN'T WAIT! X3!**

**I DO NOT OWN THESE TO SONGS! ALL IS BY COLDPLAY AND SUZANNE COLLINS!**

**BY THE WAY GUYS! Please check out my Youtube Channel if you haven't done so already. I have the "right" Rue's Lullaby/Katniss's Song. A lot of them are amazing don't get me wrong, but there's one specific one I was trying to describe Sakura's voice to, and I really like it.**** Its under the feed in Activities. You'll see it.**

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><p>-Chapter 6: Here We Go<p>

Sasuke placed Sakura down on his bed staring down at her. She was faintly breathing, but had at least stopped wincing and whimpering as they were driving in the car. There was even a moment where she started screaming again, before it slowly subsided into more whimpers and winces and falling tears. The most he could do at that moment was grab her hand. When she felt the pain, she squeezed hard, and he felt his bones almost break in his hand.

His eyes turned worried, and he caressed a strand of pink hair away from the beauty's face. She was starting to breathe a little harder now out her mouth and her closed eyes were getting tighter. His eyes turned worried, and he caressed a strand of pink hair away from the beauty's face. He growled looking up at the sky. The sun was slightly low thanks to the time being about four o'clock in September. His heart stopped in that moment. What would happen in winter?

He calmed himself down. She would be fine…they would've warned him about winter if something wasn't going to be okay.

"Is she alright?" A man with tan skin and brown hair asked standing behind Sasuke with a small crowd of friends. Sasuke continued staring down at the pink haired woman unconsciously combing his fingers through her hair.

"She's better now…" Sasuke said. He turned to face the ten people slightly crowding in his large room.

"Thanks for being here. How'd you guys know anyway?" Sasuke asked. A girl with brown eyes, and brown hair put up into two buns stepped up to sit in a chair.

"Tsunade told us." She said with a smile. Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

"Tenten, I just left Tsunade." Sasuke said glaring slightly, knowing she was lying. The tan boy sighed.

"Okay okay! We followed your car. We were all heading over to chill and well, we saw your car driving and we followed. But then we saw Sakura and well…We got worried." He said.

"Kiba there is nothing you guys have to be worried about. I've got it all under control." Sasuke said, reflexively sitting down beside her and grabbing her hand. The people stared at the Uchiha watching as he massaged her hand with the gentlest care.

"Sasuke…I have something to ask." A man with pale lavender eyes and long brown hair stated. Sasuke's attention turned to him.

"Are you getting attached to Sakura?" He asked. Sasuke glared with a raised eyebrow.

"Sakura is a flower Neji. I'm not attached to her. I am to watch over her and make sure she remains in healthy condition." Sasuke growled. But his glare did not faze Neji. Onyx eyes glared into pale lavender.

"I don't believe you." Neji said back getting closer. A switch turned on in Sasuke's mind and he placed Sakura's hand down standing and getting in front of Neji with eyes flashing red.

"I'm going to warn you just this once Neji…stay away from her." Sasuke growled. Neji pushed Sasuke away and got closer and reached out to touch Sakura's locks of pink hair. It was in a split second that Neji was held up in the air by the neck in Sasuke's iron grip.

"I…" Sasuke's voice was different. In it was threat, anger, hatred, and demonic presences. Neji's eyes widened.

"Said…" Sasuke lifted his head to reveal red eyes, and a tattoo of dark flames spread over half of his face, as his body was covered with dark chakra.

"Leave. Her. Alone." Sasuke growled throwing Neji into his bedroom door. Everyone stared at Sasuke with wide eyes. A girl with navy blue hair and pale lavender eyes came up to Sasuke who glared down at her.

"Sasuke-kun…" A voice came from her. No not from the navy blue haired girl, but from behind him. Sasuke's eyes widened as he turned around seeing Sakura awake with tired, but scared eyes. The navy blue haired girl gulped.

"S-Sasuke-kun…?" She suddenly asked. She wasn't sure if it was him. The visual, there…was a big chance that it was him. But the marks across his face and down his arm made her think otherwise. But in the spiritual sense, he was a completely different…thing. Not even a person.

She searched through his soul and found him. But the Sasuke inside, was slowly starting to be eaten alive by that thing. That thing was trying to kill Sasuke. Tears began to flood her eyes as she shook her head. The thing began to speak to her.

'_Soon, he will be mine, and soon, you will be too.'_

That wasn't Sasuke. That thing began to walk towards Neji and everyone in the room was too scared to stop him. Sakura looked around.

"H-Hinata…" She called to the navy haired girl. The girl looked at her but did nothing. Sakura's green eyes shifted over to Kiba. But he did nothing either. Sakura looked back at Sasuke's back. The thing spoke again to her.

'_Those both innocent and guilty will die. My sweet cherry blossom, don't worry, everyone will die, and we will stay to rejuvenate Earth to what it once was. A beautiful paradise of grass, flowers, trees, and all of it will be returned by the blood of humans.'_

Sakura did not understand what the meaning of the words that thing spoke, but she didn't like them. She didn't want death. She didn't want people to die. Why would it want to kill for everything she held dear? If it was to be rebuilt with bloodshed she didn't want it.

"S-Sasuke-kun…" She tried. But it was no longer him.

"Sasuke-kun…!" She tried again. But he didn't stop. Instead he proceeded to grabbing Neji by the neck and lifting him into the air and grinning madly.

"N-No…" Sakura cried.

'_He's mine…and now you will be too.'_

Sakura shook her head and screamed.

"No! Stop!" She yelled and hugged Sasuke from behind. Red eyes widened as did everyone else. The room grew silent and all eyes went to Sakura. Only Sakura's sobs and pleas filled the room.

"Please, stop…Stop it! I don't want it! I don't want it Sasuke-kun! Don't kill…please." She begged. Red eyes turned to verify who this person was. Was this truly Sakura? And with seeing her, the black flames glowed an orange fire, and retreated away to a place unknown. He let go of Neji who dropped to the ground trying to catch his breath as the few people in the room tended to him. Sasuke turned to Sakura seemingly drained. She pulled him closer. He growled.

"Sasuke-kun…" she whispered. He immediately shushed her, walking over to the edge of his bed and pushing her back down lightly, as she tried to sit up.

"Sakura you need your rest. You endured a lot of pain, and your heart isn't well." He said weakly. The people behind him stared with their already wide eyes. First, that thing that overcame him did not just disappear easily the way it just did. And second...after his inner battle, and probably being weak to the point where he could pass out, he was still thinking about Sakura's wellbeing. Not his own.

"Sasuke, maybe you should get some rest." Tenten said grabbing his shoulder. Sasuke shook his head.

"I have to watch over her…" He growled. Hinata shook her head.

"Sasuke just get some rest. You know what that thing does to you. It makes you weak." She said gently but Sasuke refused.

"Leave." He growled and glared. Everyone stared at him.

"Sasuke…" Neji began.

"Get the hell out of my house!" Sasuke yelled glaring at Neji with red eyes, still feeling hostility and anger from before. He didn't want to hurt anyone, especially since Sakura saw him like that. He never wanted anyone to see him like that again. For Sakura to see him like that…it crushed him for reasons unknown. Kiba stood and looked at everyone else seemingly understanding.

"Come on…" he said grabbing Neji, and leading everyone out. Sasuke panted as soon as they left, trying to bring in whatever strength he had lost. Sakura grabbed his sleeve.

"Sasuke-kun, please rest." He shook his head at her request. He had to keep watch. Who knew if there was an enemy watching them right now? Sakura stared at him with hurt in her eyes. She sat up and kissed his cheek gently.

"Sasuke-kun...please. Just rest. You don't have to look after me all the time. I promise." But he shook his head once more, despite feeling warmth on the spot she had kissed. Sakura bit her bottom lip and pulled him.

"Please Sasuke-kun…I-I feel better when you're near me." She whispered weakly. He stared at her tiredly. He felt something inside of him pushing him to fall asleep, and he looked to see Sakura's hands glowing a green mist. He glared lightly.

"S-Sakura...," he whispered. He felt himself begin before sighing and doing as she requested. He lied down by her side staring into her tired green eyes. She smiled weakly again, and got even closer to the point where her face was buried into his chest. Sasuke brought up his hands unsure of what to do. His only option was to wrap his hands around her…

And slowly, but surely, his arms wrapped around her closely and tightly.

"Sakura…" He whispered. She looked up at him, and the fact that the look in her eyes was no different, gave him reason to hate himself slightly for getting like that in front of her.

"I'm sorry…" She smiled weakly again and the look in her eyes only showed how happy she was to have the real him back.

"It's okay Sasuke-kun…get some rest. Close your eyes, and rest." She said gently. And at her request he slowly fell into his own slumber.

"This is quite interesting." A voice of malice but intelligence said with a smirk played on his lips. The moonlight showed only his silhouette, as he looked at the two through the window from the roof of the neighboring building, and grinned more seeing Sasuke sleeping rather peacefully with the flower in his hold. The man made a signal to move into the apartment and smirked.

"Sleep peacefully while you can Uchiha. She'll be ours soon." He whispered grinning.

Sasuke remained with his eyes closed, but awake with the feeling of urgency, and awareness. He felt many chakras around his home and he activated his sharigan behind his closed eyes in order to be sure the people thought he was asleep. He was positive there was someone watching him and Sakura. He calmly breathed, reaching beneath the pillow as if to cradle it for more comfort. He held Sakura a little closer squeezing her tightly. She moaned and the tightness of his hold feeling comfortable before feeling urgency, and fear.

She opened her eyes and in them they showed the very emotions she felt.

"Sasuke-kun…" He held her tightly, so she couldn't sit up. She poked his chest, where her hands were, and continued calling his name.

"Sasuke-kun, please, wake up. I'm scared…" She whimpered. Sasuke pressed his forehead against hers.

"What's wrong Sakura?" He whispered without moving his lips too much and with eyes remaining closed. She stared at him.

"Sasuke-kun, there's many men around the house. Bad men. I'm scared." She warned. He remained with eyes closed.

"I know. Don't worry. They are not going to hurt you as long as I'm around. How many do you feel? I feel seven." He said. Sakura whimpered, gripping his shirt in tight balls of fist, showing her need for his protection.

"No, not seven! Twenty-seven!" She whispered. Sasuke furrowed his eyebrows. Where did she sense twenty-seven from? He only felt seven. He checked again. Seven. Twenty-seven?

The voice watching them furrowed his eyebrows together. He couldn't see Sasuke's facial actions now. Could it be that Sasuke knew about the attack that was going to happen now?

"What are we to do sir?" One voice asked the first.

"Go in now."

Sakura whimpered and shook with fear.

"Sasuke-kun!" She called louder, and the bedroom door was kicked open.

_'Here we go.'_ Sasuke thought before his eyes opened, coming to life showing Sakura determined cold crimson red rather than calm, neutral onyx. He got over her turning to the men and pulled out the gun from underneath the pillow and shot each of the three men in his room with pinpoint precision between the eyes. Sakura's eyes widened.

The eyes watching them glared and cursed.

"Get everyone in there now!"

Sasuke grabbed Sakura's hand hauling her off the bed.

"Come on Sakura." He said to her calmly. She seemed scared of him though. He stared at her with a slight glare.

"Sakura we have to move now!" He said louder. She nodded with fear in her eyes and got up walking behind him. He stepped over the dead bodies as did Sakura with tears in her eyes. Sasuke glared and turned the corner shooting two men in their hearts before hearing more footsteps. There were definitely more than seven. He growled and went into the closet right beside him holding Sakura close to him. She looked at Sasuke with tears in her eyes. He looked back at her and his heart stopped.

How did he look in her eyes? Like a monster perhaps? Evil? Did she feel evil in him? He gritted his teeth when he heard men saying to search the area. No…

He had to make sure he protected Sakura no matter what whether he looked like a monster or not. It was for her own good. It was for the good of humanity. She would understand someday. With that the three commas that surrounded his pupil spun and he saw how many men were outside the closet door.

Everything was completely black, while the men were colored with red to show they were enemies. The ones already dead had no color at all. Sasuke glared and shot them through the door before coming out while kicking open the door and taking out another gun from behind his shirt. He pointed at each end of the hallway and shot each man in the head.

A large man came and growled. His body was beyond steroids, and his face, disfigured with too many scars to count. Sasuke glared red, and clenched his gun. This guy was not going to go down with a simple bullet to the head. The Sound did more than input their special ops with Chakra like ANBU. They often times did experiments on them, hoping for them to have results that resembled a super soldier. A mutant super soldier, that wasn't human, nor went down easily.

This man must have been a slight success which wasn't good.

"Let's settle this with no guns." He growled throwing his guns to the ground. Sasuke glared throwing his own guns to the floor blocking the guy's monstrous punch. It was hard to block it at all, and even caused Sasuke to slide back a bit. Sakura's eyes widen feeling a man behind Sasuke.

"Sasuke-kun! Look out!" She yelled. Sasuke's eyes widened and he turned only to get a shot to the shoulder. He growled out stunning the man he was originally fighting by poking him in the eyes pretty hard, while running towards the guy who shot him and killed him. He turned seeing the monster/man beginning to gain back his sight. Sasuke glared and ran towards him. The monster roared and ran at Sasuke.

Sasuke's target however was not the monster. It was his two pistols on the ground.

Sasuke picked up his speed just a little more, timing what he was going to do perfectly. He slid picking up the two black guns and shot straight at the monster's chest four times then kicking up to make the it fly back. He got closer, shooting it in the head, three times, and the chest a few more with a cold stare. Seeing that it wouldn't get up again he growled, feeling the strong pain in his shoulder.

Sasuke then grabbed his shoulder growling. Sakura ran up to him looking at Sasuke with worry.

"Sasuke-kun…" She said and he grabbed her hand.

"I'm fine Sakura! I'm okay." He calmed her looking behind her with wide eyes, pushing her into his bedroom as well as pushing himself against the wall to just miss a bullet that was fired at them. Sasuke shot back killing the man.

"Damn there are too many…" Sasuke growled. He ran into his bedroom closing and locking the door while putting a chair beneath the door hand to keep it shut at least for some time. He put his bed against the door as well, and grabbed Sakura. There was already banging at his door.

"Sakura, listen to me, you must hold on tight to me do you understand?" He said to her. She nodded and got on his back. He gripped her legs and kicked open his window letting the glass shatter down fifty floors. The door kicked open and shots of a submachine gun were messily fired, luckily missing the two. Sasuke ran and jumped out the window as Sakura gripped him tightly.

Sasuke landed on the ground with his feet making a crater in the ground. Shots were fired at them from above and he started to run for his car, putting Sakura in and flooring it immediately driving off. He let out a breath of relief. No one followed.

Sakura stared at him with worry and then looked to his bleeding shoulder.

"Sasuke-kun, you're hurt." She whispered. He shook his head.

"Don't worry about it Sakura. I'll be fine." He growled driving onto a highway. He looked in the rearview mirror cursing to find black cars behind him, driving at just about the same speed he drove. He cursed out loud seeing a passenger sit out on the window with a pistol. A shot was fired, and Sasuke immediately tried to shake the cars off. He was only thankful the bullets missed his car. He'd sure as hell be really pissed if there was just as much as a scratch on his favorite car.

He drove faster and faster cutting cars, and taking many exits, only to see blockade in front with men holding machine guns. He stopped.

"Get out of the car, and surrender the flower!" A man with a megaphone screamed. Sasuke could've sworn that voice was familiar…

But it didn't matter at the moment. He would not let them have Sakura. He side glanced at Sakura, thankful he had all black tinted windows.

"Sakura…put on your seatbelt okay?" He said gripped his steering wheel and revved the engine. Sakura immediately did as he said, watching him with curiosity as he opened his windows, just for the heck of what he was about to do. The man with the megaphone spoke again, his voice more gruff, and pissed than before.

Sasuke smirked.

"Get out of the damn car Uchiha, and surrender the flower!" Sasuke smirked even more. His eyes gleamed as he revved the engine again to piss of the negotiator even more. It worked.

"We will shoot! Surrender now or face the consequences!" Sasuke chuckled.

"Then come on…" Sasuke growled, knowing the negotiator practically heard his voice.

"Sasuke-kun…" Sakura warned. A smirk only appeared on the twenty two year old man's face.

"Show me the consequences _Kabuto_." Sasuke growled before flooring the gas pedal of the car.

"Open fire!" At this moment Sasuke pressed on the gas twice, the car popping up on a wheelie, where it rolled up on one of the cars facing towards him rather than sideways, and flipped. There was a split moment where Sasuke saw the inside of one of the cars from the roof window it had. Kabuto looked straight back at him with wide eyes, and Sasuke gave him a middle finger before his car flipped again, and thanks to gravity, landed on the upper highway level. Sasuke scoffed and floored the car again, driving and taking even more exits.

"He should've shot earlier." He growled before driving longer. He smiled with the air blowing through the car and sighed, as if something had been released. Sakura stared. After that whole ordeal that Sasuke went through, it seemed to be washed away with the simple blow of the wind and the driving of his car. She couldn't help but smile at the slight peace that radiated off him for the moment until he became serious again.

"Time to find a place to hide. Get the heat off us for a little bit." Sasuke said, taking another exit, this time seeming to actually have a route for a destination.

The two ended up in the mountains somewhere. They were in the woods now, with some of the last, large forests around. This would provide circumstantial cover. He stopped his car, getting out along with Sakura.

"Come on Sakura, we have to walk from here." He said grabbing her hand and starting the hike along the terrain. Driving the car would leave tracks, which, if they found out where he went, would be easy to follow. Sakura followed him from the whole two hours of hiking but was tired and weary. She whimpered.

"Sasuke-kun…do you have any water?" She asked. He stopped and turned to her. Her eyes were tired, and starting to become dull. He cursed himself and looked around. Rivers were always downhill, but they couldn't risk that.

"Just…keep walking Sakura okay? We only have another two miles to go alright? I'll give you water there." She nodded and continued walking for the rest of the two miles, coming up on a cabin. He sighed ushering Sakura in and closing the door with a lock. He cursed again. There wasn't a bucket here or anything like that for her to drink.

"Shit." He growled. He started to think and walked around looking at the bathroom. He turned on the water for the bathtub, making sure it was cold. He turned to Sakura sighing. It would have to do.

"Sakura, here. Water." He said. She stepped in moaning gently. Sasuke continued to watch her with a smile gripping his wounded shoulder. He put down the toilet seat and sat down with a tired sigh.

'_That wasn't too bad for the first attack.' _He thought closing his eyes. The sigh, attracted Sakura's attention and she turned to Sasuke. Green eyes turned deeply sympathetic. He was tired and hurt and she immediately stepped out the water walking over to him.

"Are you done drinking your water?" He asked not looking at her. She grabbed his face gently pulling him to look at her. He did so, showing her familiar onyx eyes.

She grabbed his hand pulling him onto the couch. She pushed him and the couch closer to the fireplace, and made hand signs, causing fire to appear. Sasuke stared at her with shock in his eyes.

She was trying to take care of him. He tried to sit up but she immediately pushed him down shaking her head.

"No Sasuke-kun…you must rest." She said. She ran over to the kitchen and came back with a small bowl of water, and a cloth. After she had removed his shirt she began to caress the wound with gentle care. She looked at him with worry in her eyes.

"I…I have to take the thing out." She said shyly almost as if she was scared of him again. He nodded.

"Go ahead Sakura. It's alright don't worry." He said. She reached in making him grit his teeth and pulled the bullet out as quickly as she could. She held him close as if to comfort him. She suddenly began to sing a phrase.

_Lights will guide you home_  
><em>And ignite your bones<em>_  
><em>_And I will try to fix you._

She sung so beautifully. But Sasuke didn't understand. How did she know a song? Where did she know it from? He didn't question her, because of her next facial expression. Her eyes became concentrated, and she knitted her eyebrows together while breathing deeply.

She pulled away and green emitted from her hand. He stared at her and watched as she placed it over his wounded shoulder and concentrated on that spot. The touch was so warming, and gave him a tingling sensation. And he no longer felt anymore pain and he was calmer than he felt before. She pulled away to show a perfectly healed shoulder. His eyes widened.

"Sakura how did you do that?" He asked her. The only person he knew who could do that was Tsunade. She smiled.

"What is that human phrase? A good magician should never show their tricks?" She asked remembering a grandfather and his grandson at the park. The grandfather pulled a coin out of his grandson's ear and then said the phrase when the grandson asked how he did that. Sakura remembered due to her own amazement. She had absolutely no clue where the coin had come from. Sasuke gave a slight smile before he caressed hair away from her face.

"Yes. That's right." He whispered. He played with a strand of hair between his thumb and pointer finger twirling it in a calm façade. Sakura smiled and she closed her eyes gently beginning to sing. She started with a low humming and she began to caress his hair. Sasuke stared at her instantly realizing their closeness. She was right beside him caressing his hair and continuing to sing.

"Sakura…" He whispered, but he didn't stop her. She opened her eyes, and began.

_Deep in the meadow, under the willow_  
><em>A bed of grass, a soft green pillow<em>  
><em>Lay down your head, and close your sleepy eyes<em>  
><em>And when again they open, the sun will rise<em>

_Here it's safe, here it's warm_  
><em>Here the daisies guard you from every harm<em>  
><em>Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true<em>  
><em>Here is the place where I love you.<em>

_Deep in the meadow, hidden far away_  
><em>A cloak of leaves, a moonbeam ray<em>  
><em>Forget your woes and let your troubles lay<em>  
><em>And when again it's morning, they'll wash away<em>

_Here it's safe, here it's warm_  
><em>Here the daisies guard you from every harm<em>  
><em>Here your dreams are sweet and tomorrow brings them true<em>  
><em>Here is the place where I love you.<em>

Her voice was soft, and beautiful to the point where there was silence, and no noise except her voice. The song, it was so…calming and though he didn't truly understand its' words the song was familiar making it more confusing. He felt his eyes closing slightly, but he continuously fought it.

He had to keep watch.

He had to protect Sakura with all his might.

If he fell asleep, and Sakura got attacked…

If she was stolen from him…

He…

He would never forgive himself.

She smiled at him, caressing his hair and beginning the same song again.

"Sakura..." He groaned, but she only continued to sing to him. She only continued caressing his hair. His eyes then completely fell and he was placed into his slumber. She pulled away with a smile, the meaning of her words clear and truthful as she walked outside touching the grass with her now bare feet. She let her chakra go into the living things around her with a smile and whispered.

"_Su raen semoc taht leve yna fo em nraw…sretsis dna srethorb. Ylkciuq dna ecnavda ni su nraw." _She whispered smiling before walking back in and sitting beside a window in the kitchen. She let the peaks of the moon caress her and she left her hand in the sink which now filled with water. She knew Sasuke would worry about her had she not had her fill of drink and light.

* * *

><p>A man with dark hair walked through the corridors and gulped as he kneeled before a man with sinister gold eyes and leering smile.<p>

"I tru_s_t you have the girl for me." Gold eyes questioned and a smirk played on sadistic lips. The man of dark hair looked up and breathed out a heavy breath to calm himself.

"My Lord, forgive us…but we have no obtained her." Gold eyes became angered and the smirk changed to a frown.

"And why i_s_ thi_s_?" He growled. The man gulped and he looked to the floor. The gold eyed man was not to be taken lightly with. He was not to be made a fool of. He was a murderous man, and even now, the murderous glint in his eyes was only thinking of ways to kill him.

"He got away from us sir. We underestimated him. I promise you it will not happen again. Things went wrong, and Kabuto misinformed us a—" the gold eyed man snarled and he stood walking over and attacking him.

"_Kabuto gave you no __misinformation__! __I__ gave him the information! There__fore__ it was correct! __You__ didn't obtain __her__ because __you__ are nothing but __insolence__ and __failure__!"_

The last things that came out that room were the screams of a dying man and the laughter of a satisfied monster.

* * *

><p><strong>Here's the translations guys! AGAIN! Please, please, please, PLEASE go to my Youtube Channel! Don't forget! Just go and click to my profile and subscribe and I promise you'll get faster news about the stories rather than just waiting around.<strong>

**Here is what Sakura said outside when she walked out:**

"_Brothers and Sisters...warn me of any evil that comes near us. Warn us in advance and quickly."_

**AND that little song she sang when she was going to heal him, is Fix You by the band Coldplay. Amazing song lemme tell ya! Anyway! See ya in the next chapter guys!**


	7. Chapter 7: The Fire

-Chapter 7: The Fire

Sasuke woke up with a sigh and stretched out lazily, closing his eyes to get a few more minutes of rest. Feeling a breeze run across his face, he opened his eyes immediately only to see the starry night sky. His eyes widened more as he sat up only to see himself in that valley Sakura had grown from. His eyes widened and he stood. His worry increased when he couldn't see Sakura anywhere.

'_Sakura!' _ He called and his voice echoed throughout the space…more than it should have.

He looked around and there was a large flash along with a strong gust of wind that blew him back to hit a tree and he yelped in pain. The wind was just about to pick him up again and if he hadn't grabbed onto the branch he would've gone farther. He opened his eyes to the smallest squint only to be met with a close to blinding light that made him shut his onyx eyes again immediately. He hissed at the pain his eyes felt from it.

His mind went to Sakura. As fragile as she was, she wouldn't survive this and his heart raced in his chest. In a last effort to hopefully find and save her in this madness he tried to call her name again.

'_Sakura!' _He yelled. Again, his voice echoed throughout the land, more than it was supposed to. It sounded like he was in a never ending cave.

But with this call the winds slowly died down, and as Sasuke slowly attempted to open his eyes, he saw the light was beginning to die down as well, behind a womanly silhouette. He opened his eyes letting them adjust to the now illuminated land. Though the light was retreated behind the woman, there were these small particles of white light that resembled fireflies.

But there was no way this dot of light was the bug that was stared at and admired by so many.

Sasuke dropped down grunting at the pain he felt in his leg and stood slowly. He must've hit it when the wind blew him back. He looked around, seeing the stars around him. He went to touch it, only for it to past through his index finger. His eyes narrowed and he gently swatted at it only for it to do the same thing.

'_Sasuke-kun…'_ The call was soft but echoed, and from the womanly silhouette, came a continual pulse of light that started at her feet, and flowed through the grass and trees in the same cycle. Her call was familiar.

'_Sakura…?' _He called back just as softly. He blinked his eyes, and as they adjusted, with the light behind her he could see her pink hair and everything else. She smiled something different. It wasn't the usual smile, with the gleaming cheer and happy glow.

It was one of peace…and a warming essence in it that only a mother would give to her young.

'_Come to me Sasuke-kun…' _He found himself looking at her lips as she said this. They moved slowly and sensually. And without thinking, he began walking to her.

When he had reached her, the delicate and petite hand that belonged to her reached up to caress his face. He found himself closing his eyes, and nudging his face deeper into the soft palm of her hand.

'_Sasuke-kun, please…don't ever forget me.' _She said. He opened his eyes…

In which they filled with shock at tears seeing her.

In her body were bullet wounds and blood streamed down from the fatal wounds as well as from the corner of her smiling lips. There was a cut just beneath her eye, and a red mark that looked like she had been smacked. Her once beautiful white dress was torn and blood stained the once pure color. A tear fell down his face.

'_Sakura…' _She dropped to her knees and he immediately pulled her into his arms. He noticed the light that was once behind her died away, and the white particles that once surrounded them were flickering and falling to the ground. The once pulsing light that was at her feet, was now coming from her whole body, but its pulsing light was becoming slower, and duller.

As if it was all dying…

'_Sakura stay with me! You have to stay with me! Remember our rules? Stay…' _He begged. She smiled at him, and caressed his face with her bloody hand. The veins that signified her withering began to trail beneath her nose and by her eyes just as it had done with Chiyo.

'_evol ym efil rehtona ni…'_ She whispered in that language. He shook his head at the language…

The language he understood…

Shaking his head he cried louder.

'_Em htiw yats. Em htiw yats efil siht ni ereh.' _He cried without caring about his sudden change of dialect to a language he had never even heard of before. She smiled and laughed. But the laugh was broken, and filled with her tears.

'…_ytinrete rof uoy htiw eb ot dna…htead yfed ot…elpmis taht erew ti ylno fi.'_ Tears ran down her face and she closed her eyes. The pulsing light faded, and Sasuke's eyes filled with more tears as he shook her violently, calling her name over and over. He heard an evil laugh…one he found too familiar for his liking.

'_Finally…she's dead. I thought she'd never die.' _ Gold eyes gleamed on the body and Sasuke's eyes turned red with anger and hatred. A gold fire stretched over his face and arm turning black as if burning into his skin as he yelled and began running towards the menace of a man.

'_I'll kill you!' _He screamed and punched only to be met with nothing except Sakura lying on the ground. Everything and everyone else disintegrated into ashes, and all around was dead and desolate, consumed by fire…that still burned now. He went to Sakura's side, and held her close. And before he could say her name her face began burning, like paper on fire, slowly but surely.

He shook his head.

'_No. No, no, no, no, No! No! Leave her alone!'_

But these pleas and begs did not stop the fire that consumed her, and the next thing he knew, she combusted into ashes that flowed in his arms and around him.

He gripped his head and shook. And this was followed by his scream.

He sat up in a cold sweat screaming and panting. His hands trembled and eyes wide with confusion and fear. What was that…nightmare? Why did he have that nightmare? God he hated nightmares…

Moreover, he hated flames…

For as long as he could remember, he hated fire. When his mother turned on the stove, he warily stared at the fire as if it was a monster in his closet. When he went camping in the mountains with his friends and they had to build a fire, he made sure to sit a distance away from it without seeming suspicious or afraid at all. And when he himself had to build a fire because he was alone, he was reluctant and usually threw a match into it from a distance away.

He looked down at his hands remembering him holding Sakura. Remembering as she burned…

"Sasuke-kun?" He heard a worried voice. He stood turning to see Sakura standing at the kitchen. He walked up to her quickly, scaring her and causing her to step back. But he grabbed her roughly pulling her close into an embrace. He didn't understand why but as he held her, things felt better. Slightly. The effect increased when she wrapped her arms around him and hushed him. He continued panting, and his eyes still with slight fear and anxiety.

His breathing slowly regulated as she ran her hand through his hair.

"It's okay Sasuke-kun…it's over now." She calmed him down. He pulled away sighing and began to open his eyes. With the opening of his onyx eyes, he was met with Sakura observing him. She seemed to be tracing his facial features with her eyes. When she finally reached his eyes, she grinned.

"All better?" she asked him kindly and rather playfully. He stared at her, almost laughing, at the childish innocence she possessed.

"Yes. Way better." He said. He looked over to his once injured shoulder, remembering what Sakura had done, and then his eyes moved over to her. She seemed fine which meant there were no intruders, and there were no attacks on her for the time they were here. They weren't followed.

His nightmare was just a nightmare…

"Sakura, what time is it?" He asked. Sakura beamed.

"Father is at his highest!" Sasuke furrowed his eyebrows. Father was the sky and the sun. If father was at his highest then the sun was at his height which meant the time was noon. Sasuke nodded and pulled away fully to look her up and down.

"Have you had your fill of water? Sunlight?" He asked. It was almost like talking to a child, asking if they had brushed their teeth. She nodded and he smiled dropping his head before looking back up and catching her jade green eyes. This captured him in chains and cinder blocks, and he was sent plummeting to the depths of the green sea to drown. She closed her eyes with a pleasant happiness, and the spell was broken. He looked away turning to the fridge and getting something to drink.

This action exposed more of his back, and that's when Sakura saw it.

Scars marred Sasuke's skin in the look of constant lashes and hits. There was also one that looked like an X on his shoulder, and she stared with a pain in her eyes. He looked at her. Seeing the look in her eyes brought up concern, and he put the gallon of water and the glass down.

"Sakura?" He called.

She didn't listen, and only reached out to his back touching one of the scars on his back. Her eyes widened and turned white as she saw a young boy at the age of just five, and a father dragging him to the backyard of a large home. Sakura stared at the young boy with hurt in her green eyes.

The backyard was a garden, with flowers of all different kinds, and then herself. She stared with concern, still standing, still staring at the boy. She wanted nothing more than to run over to him and hold him, but the soil beneath her, held her tight, and she could only stay about three yards or so away from him.

He resembled Sasuke. Black hair, slightly long, but most of it spiked up in the back with long bangs framing his handsome face, with a small frail body more appropriate for a five year old child, compared to the muscular form of his body now. The boy was thrown onto the ground on his hands and knees, and began to cry. Sobs sounded out of the young child, and the father erupted in anger and lashed at the boy with a whip.

"Shut up you incompetent waste of life!" A grown man with brown hair and emotionless eyes yelled. He held the same onyx eyes Sasuke held.

A woman with long black hair, the face of beauty, and the same onyx eyes came out with an older boy screaming for him to stop, as the head of the household took out a whip and lashed at the boy in a furious rage.

The older boy held long black hair tied in a pony tail, with bangs framing his face, and two matching scars on his face beneath his onyx eyes. He yelled with tears in his own eyes, along with his mother.

Sakura felt each painful hit, as the boy's back began to bleed. Sakura dropped to her knees and falling forward into the grass of the backyard, lifting her face to look at Sasuke. Sasuke did so at the same time. She looked at Sasuke with tears in her eyes, and he seemed to look back at her, clenching his hands into fist as they gripped the dirt beneath him. He looked at her showing the tears on his face as he reached out to her, trying to touch her long hair that was sprawled all over.

"Say there is no such thing as Earth!" The man yelled. But the boy said nothing, and grabbed Sakura's hair with a gentle touch, caressing it between his fingers.

"Say there Earth is just a floating density in space. It is made up of only matter! Now!" The man yelled and whipped the boy. Sakura gave a teary eyed look to him begging him not to say it no matter how much pain he was in. The onyx eyes seemed to give her that promise, and he smiled at her, blood trailing down the corner of his lips. The man suddenly lit a match, and held it.

"Say it. Or the stupid things burn in the fire!" Yelled the older man. Sakura's eyes only stared into Sasuke's. His eyes widened and he used whatever energy he had left to get above Sakura.

"No, Father, don't do it! They've done nothing to you! Please!" Sasuke yelled getting above Sakura in a protective manner. The father scowled, and threw the match not even caring about his son in the way. The older boy ran at an amazing speed grabbing the young Sasuke and the match fell right on Sakura engulfing her in flames as she began to scream. She looked at Sasuke with pain and tear filled eyes, seeing him trying to run to her aid, but to no avail thanks to the older boy, and the mother.

"_Sakura!"_ He screamed. Over and over he screamed as her cries of pain continued as they fire spread to the grass, the trees, and the other flowers of the backyard.

"Sakura!" Sakura snapped out of her look into the past. Her eyes went back to their regular viridian green, and she panted looking at him with pain in her eyes. He stared at her with worry. First her eyes turned white. He tried calling her but she made no reply. Then she started screaming as if she was feeling the pain she had felt in Tsunade's office again. He caressed her face with his large hand staring at her with worry.

"Sakura, are you okay?" But she only stared at him with angered, tear filled eyes. Her vision was in fact one of the past, and its meaning was hurtful to her. Why did he endure all that pain, to protect the few cherry blossoms in his backyard at the age of five? She stared and caressed his face letting the tears fall slowly as she pulled him close in an embrace. He remained silent, rather confused but worried about the situation before him.

"Sakura...it's okay. Tell me what's wrong." He spoke softly as he pushed the tears away with his thumb. She pulled away and shook her head.

"Why? Why didn't you just say Mother was not alive? Why did you endure all that pain?" She asked, her voice barely above a whisper, though he heard every single word that left her lips. Sasuke's eyes narrowed in his own questioning gaze.

"What are you talking about Sakura?" She seemed to get frustrated, as she growled and threw her hands in the air to slam them back down onto the couch.

"Why didn't you say it to your Father when you were young? Why didn't you just say Mother didn't exist?" She started yelling and crying. He stared at her with wide eyes and started making assumptions. Had Sakura seen his past with a simple touch of his scar? Was she feeling _his _pain rather than the pain of other parts of nature?

"He...he wouldn't have hurt you! Why didn't you say it?" She cried with angered yelling. He held her again, before pulling away to caress the tears away from her face. They sat in silence for a moment, the room only filled with small sobs coming from Sakura.

"Sakura, don't worry about it. I did what I thought was right those years ago. Besides...my father..." He trailed off remembering the man he grew up with for the seven years of his life. Those few child years Sasuke had were so long ago, but they also seemed like yesterday.

He sighed.

"My father was a sick man Sakura, with no appreciation or even belief in the Earth's life." He said. She looked down keeping herself close to him. She buried her face into his neck and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"I felt your pain." She whispered looking down. He pulled away from her with wide eyes.

She could feel the pain of humans too?

"Why...Why did you try to protect my race feeling such a pain as that?" She asked. His heart sunk. He looked down and away before remembering the backyard. He even remembered the day Sakura was talking about. He even ignored his fear of fire, and did his best to protect those flowers…

"The backyard was a medium sized garden that my mother took care of everyday. She, secretly, got her hands on a few flower seeds, and in hopes of helping the Earth, she planted a few of them in the backyard, much to my father's dislike." Sasuke said with a small smile reminiscing on the past.

He remembered his mother humming a song as she tended to the flowers with gentle care, and he imagined his father dully staring at her from the backyard door, as if she was crazy. He didn't want to remember his brother but he remembered the older Uchiha smiling at his mother and playing with Sasuke in the garden.

Who knew such a thing would've ended?

"The...The Cherry Blossoms were my favorite." He whispered in almost embarrassment looking away. Sakura smiled she touched his hand in an understanding manner. Her eyes showed he could continue talking, and he had her full attention.

"I don't know why. They were just my favorite. They were so simple, yet beautiful in complicated ways." He said looking over to her. He caressed her face with no understanding on why he was this way with her. Why was he so soft when it came down to her? Why did he care? She was just a flower...A flower that he would not let go of because of his assignment. He would not let go of her for the sake of humanity.

Then he saw it. The beauty in her eyes, the viridian green with gray encircling black pupils making it the orbs seem like an endless green sea that he could possibly drown in. Then, there were the full lips where its smile was full of innocence but so tempting. There was then the button nose giving her a cuteness about her face. Then there was the pink long hair. The obnoxious color, was beautiful, and the length of it gave her a mature feeling that made him drawn to it.

It was all so simple, but filled with complications.

He then noticed his forehead was against hers, her eyes half lidded, and their noses brushing each other. His hands were comfortably on her waist, and she had on hand on his neck. When coming to his senses, he pulled away with a speed like no other, startling Sakura as she stared at him confused. He even seemed confused. He looked at the ground with shocked eyes and ran his hands threw his hair.

"Sasuke-kun?" She called, staring at him. He shook his head and turned from her. He wouldn't even look at her.

"Go get some sun. Now." He said with a coldness she feared somewhat. She brought her hands up to touch his shoulder, in hopes of comforting him, but she decided against it. The feeling around him was one of wanting to be left alone and she looked down walking towards where she found the bedroom and sat by the window with the sun beaming on her. She played with her fingers, in such a way that she seemed nervous, scared, but lonely, and sad.

Sasuke sat at the kitchen table with his hand against his forehead, rubbing the fingers back and forward, to ease his mind. He breathed hard.

'_What am I doing? What was I doing? What in the living, breathing, fiery hell was I doing? Was...Was I about to…No. That's a big no. I can't. I can't get attached to anyone period. I...I can't…especially with her.'_ He thought to himself with white teeth gritted tightly. He slid his hand so his face rested in it.

"Sasuke-Teme! Are you here?" A voice yelled from outside, followed by banging on the door. Naruto. Sasuke looked up and looked out the window, searching Naruto's chakra and confirming it was him before opening the door.

"Dobe. What are you doing here? I didn't tell anyone I was here." Sasuke asked with a suspicious look. Sasuke didn't even have his phone to tell anyone he was here. It was still back at the apartment. Naruto stared and sighed with relief.

"Dude, I went to your apartment, and it's trashed. I got worried, but I didn't see your body anywhere, except for Orochimaru's dogs. So I just ran around looking for your chakra and finally I found you and Sakura-Chan here!" Naruto said with relief in his worried cerulean eyes. He hugged Sasuke without the raven haired man hugging him back and pulled away.

"I'm glad you're okay. You had me worried sick Teme!" He growled. Sasuke shook his head, and he turned hearing Sakura's footsteps. She held a smile on her face...but to Sasuke something was different. Her smile...it wasn't _her_ smile.

"Hi Naruto-kun." She said kindly. Naruto grinned hugging Sakura close. Sasuke's heart stopped. Sakura closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around his neck. It looked like she had found comfort in his arms. His hands clenched into fist unconsciously. No. He wasn't jealous. It was just his protectiveness over Sakura acting up. He was to protect her no matter what, even if that meant being slightly suspicious of a friend.

He had to be suspicious of everyone in ANBU anyway. Who knew if there were more traitors besides Kabuto? And even if Naruto was a long time good friend, he had to be cautious of everyone.

She pulled away smiling at Naruto.

"Naruto-kun, are you going to be staying with us?" She asked cocking her head to the side in a childish wonder. He nodded with a toothy grin, and looked at Sasuke.

"Now, who's up for some ramen?" Naruto yelled bringing out packs of Ramen soup from his bag. Sakura raised an eyebrow and cocked her head to the side looking at one of the packs in Naruto's hand.

"What is it?" She asked. Naruto gasped in shock and held the ramen close to his heart.

"You've never had ramen before Sakura-Chan?" He yelled. She shook her head looking down and shuffling her feet in shyness. Sasuke rolled his eyes. Sakura was not going to eat ramen. Besides, he didn't know what it was going to do to her. With that he intervened immediately and walked over to Sakura, grabbing her wrist gently.

"Did you get enough sunlight?" He asked her. She looked at him before looking down and shaking her head. His heart skipped a beat when she did that. She must've been upset with him. He sighed and caressed her face so she looked at him.

"Sakura, let's go take a walk. I know a nice place where we can get a lot of sunlight, and water too. And it's not too far from here." He promised and her eyes slightly lit up, joined with a smile. She looked at Naruto and then back at him.

"Can Naruto-kun, come with us too?" She asked politely. Sasuke glared for a split second before nodding and looking at Naruto.

"If he wants to." He silently asked Naruto while the blond nodded with a grin.

"Let's go!" Naruto yelled, dropping the ramen, and running out. Sasuke grabbed his guns, staring at Sakura as she waited impatiently for him. He smiled slightly. She was still following his rules. Don't ever leave anywhere unless he said so. He shook his head before grabbing a dagger, and placing it in his boot. He looked at Sakura.

"Come on, let's go." He said and she walked by his side.

Later, Sakura was ahead of them skipping around and smiling, while Naruto and Sasuke spoke to each other as lowly as possible so Sakura couldn't hear them. Naruto sighed and smiled at Sasuke.

"Shut up and admit it." Naruto growled while Sasuke glared.

"I don't dobe. Besides how weird would that be?" Sasuke said looking at Sakura at all times. She continued walking and he noticed the way her hair swayed left and right with each step.

"Sasuke, look at you. You're staring at her again." Sasuke growled at Naruto with this observation.

"I'm not staring! I'm simply being sure she is safe. It's my mission idiot!" Sasuke growled and looked back at Sakura. Naruto simply chuckled before placing a hand on Sasuke's shoulder.

"Sasuke, we've been on many mission's together. You and I both know, she doesn't have to have eyes on her twenty four seven to be protected. She has chakra for crying out loud! We can feel her." Naruto said. He looked at Sakura with a soft smile.

"Besides I like her a lot myself." Sasuke tensed at that moment. Hearing Naruto's statement...angered him. Why would he like Sakura? Sure he's been around her from time to time, but not long enough to like her more than a friend.

"Don't try anything Naruto. She's the last flower and she doesn't need you to _'de-flower'_ her or anything like that." He suddenly growled between gritted teeth. Naruto stopped with wide eyes, and looked at Sasuke who continued walking. They never truly ever said each other's name unless they were serious or angry with each other. Naruto glared and smirked.

"I guess this doesn't only make us best friends..." Naruto started and Sasuke turned. It even called upon Sakura's attention. She stopped and turned. Naruto stole a look off her, and then to Sasuke who glared back at him.

A fire flared in both their eyes. And angered red of the sharigan met angered red of something else.

"It's a rivalry." They said in unison.

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><p><strong>Hey guys that's the end of this chapter! To me, truthfully this chapter was not very eventful, but don't worry. There's more to come! <strong>

**Here are the translations. Sakura is **_italics**, **_**and ****Sasuke is**_** bold italics!**_

'_In another life my love…'_

_**Stay with me. Here in this life stay with me!**_

'_If only it were that simple…to defy death…and to be with you for eternity…'_

**That's all folks! See ya in the next one.**


	8. Chapter 8: Sand City

_**Sorry for the long delay! I wasn't sure how to continue it after Chapter 7...I don't want the story to drag, but according to my e-mails, this story is getting a lot, and I mean A LOT of hits. ^.^ so, I am going to do my best!**_

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><p><em>-Chapter 8: Friends and Enemies<em>

The two friends glared each other down, their teeth gritted against each other like prison bars from the ceiling to the floor. If a simply exchange had got them to practically hate each other, Sakura wanted to understand what words got them so angered, and to know they would they forgive each other. The tension was scaring her, and felt a need to do either run, and get as far away as she possibly could in a short amount of time, or intervene, though every feeling in her body said not to do so. She didn't like the tension.

Such large tension between the two, was almost unbearable. They glared at each other with something that resembled...something. She didn't know what it was. But it was a consuming fire, in their eyes, and it was one that seemed to cause they have a high dislike for each other.

She had never seen such...hatred, she believed the word to be.

Blue clashed with Onyx and they looked just about ready to kill each other for a reason unknown to her. When she was home, and she danced with the wind, and played with her soil, and drank from her water, the only period of hatred there ever was was a mouse, who would come and talk to her, and an eagle who would come and talk to her, and though it was a natural cycle of their life, one was to eat the other. And the mouse hated the eagle, and eagle hated the mouse.

Sakura gulped. Things could work out like they did in nature, or so she believed. If something went wrong, it could be fixed, by time, and caring love, just as Mother always had done. With that, she decided she would try and end this hatred.

"S-Sasuke-kun, are we still going to the place like you said?" She asked looking down and shuffling her feet. This would hopefully gain the attention of the men and distract them from their growing anger at each other. The two men turned to her and Naruto gave her a grin, while Sasuke gave her a soft look in his eyes and a nod.

It was successful.

However; she didn't understand. Why when she intervened had the tension disappeared as suddenly as it appeared? She gave a ghost of a smile and looked around.

"Where to then?" She asked childishly. Sasuke grabbed her hand and pulled her gently and when she smiled excitedly he smiled secretively. She truly was a child...at least in some ways.

"Come on, this way." He said and continued walking. Naruto glared and scoffed while running up to Sakura's side as she followed.

"So, Sakura-Chan what kinds of food do you like? Do you eat ramen?" He asked excitedly. Sasuke rolled his eyes and scoffed.

'_Sakura doesn't know anything about human food idiot. How many times is he even going to ask her anyway? This is the twenty-fifth time he asked!' _Sasuke thought bitterly, glaring at the blond, who stared at the flower. Sakura raised an eyebrow, her eyes filled with curiosity as she shook her head.

"I drink from Mother, and praise Father. But I wish to try this ramen!" She said smiling. Naruto raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"Who's your Father?" He asked. Sasuke shook his head. Sakura pointed up and Naruto followed her point of direction, to see the sky. Naruto grinned.

"I see! Your Dad is the sky!" She nodded at his conclusion, and he gave a sad smile.

"You're very lucky to have a father who cares for you. I never had a father at all." Naruto said with sadness in his voice. At this, Sasuke choke on his own spit, and began coughing glaring at Naruto. He was playing a card that he had played with many other girls. Naruto was kind, and friendly, but was just as eager to get into a woman's pants, as a dog wanting to play fetch.

Sakura fell for it.

"What happened to your father?" Sakura asked with hurt in her eyes. Naruto sighed and looked at her.

"I have no clue. I'm an orphan." Naruto said with saddened blue eyes. Sakura placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder and that's where Sasuke had enough. He punched Naruto in the face, sending him into a tree but not breaking it. Sakura grabbed her chest feeling pain, but the two boys took no notice. Naruto slowly got up with a glare.

"Sasuke-kun, what was that for?" Sakura asked with worry in her eyes, and slight anger. Sasuke only glared at Naruto with red eyes, as the blond wiped blood from his lip. Naruto growled and his hands clenched into tight fist.

"Oh it's on now." Naruto said between gritted and with a yell, ran at Sasuke with fist raise. Sasuke glared and ran at him. Sakura's eyes widened in shock and she didn't know what to do. Should she intervene? But Sasuke had told her, should there be a fight or battle, to not intervene. But they were friends. They were brothers almost. Why were they even fighting in the first place?

The two caught each other's fist and glared into their eyes as they tried to overpower the other.

"Listen, I don't care if you play that _'boo-hoo I'm an orphan' _crap on some stupid bimbo in the fucking street, but don't you ever, use that on Sakura again." Sasuke whispered between gritted teeth, his voice, filled with the venom of a rattlesnake. Naruto glared back his own eyes dangerous with murder.

"Well Sakura-Chan isn't a stupid bimbo in the street, and what do you even care? You said you didn't like her anyway right?" Naruto whispered back with a smirk. Sasuke head butted Naruto and grabbed his face to bring it to his knee, making the blond drop to the ground. He growled in pain, and glared with a vengeance.

Sasuke smirked with smugness.

"I thought you liked the last thirty seven women, and the transsexual." Sasuke said. Naruto's eyes widened and he twitched with anger before his eyes became deadly.

"Fine then." Naruto growled and ran tackling Sasuke into a tree and breaking it. Sakura's eyes widened and she grabbed her chest gasping. Tears welded in Sakura's eyes as they green orbs filled with pain. But still, the two men were too caught up in their battle to notice the hurting flower. She dropped to her knees staring at the now completely fallen tree.

"You've never even liked any other girl in your life! You never loved one, hell you've never even slept with one!" Naruto growled punching Sasuke in the stomach. Sasuke gritted his teeth, slumping over and catching Naruto's knee before it could make contact with his face. Sasuke then round house kicked Naruto making him fly into three trees, breaking all of them, and having them all fall into the ground. Sakura threw her head back, crying out loud in close to agonizing pain.

The two grabbed each other by the collar of their shirts, and got ready to punch each other. If it weren't for the scream of agony that came from Sakura, it would've continued.

The two immediately looked at her, seeing her clenching at her chest and screaming, and crying, just like in Tsunade's office. They ran over to her, forgetting their fight, and Sasuke was the first to grab her.

"Sakura! Sakura, are you okay?" Sasuke asked holding her closely and caressing her face in a gentle manner. She whimpered. He gritted his teeth and looked around, seeing what he and Naruto had done. They had hurt her. He lifted her gently. His red eyes melted back into sad and angry onyx, seeing what he and Naruto had done. More specifically, what he had started and done.

"We're so sorry Sakura-Chan. We don't know what came over us. Can you ever forgive us?" Naruto said softly standing in front of her and Sasuke. She gave a weak smile, and nodded; her eyes half lidded, but filled with pain. Sasuke sighed and began walking lifting her with him.

"Where are we going?" Naruto asked staring at Sasuke's back.

"To where I promised I would take her." Sasuke said and continued walking. Yes, the modern world had taken away most of the forest and natural beauties of nature but there was one thing they hadn't even found that only Sasuke knew of. He looked at her stopping in front of a large massive tree that twisted around and around and was surrounded by boulders. There was no way to pass through, unless they went around a few miles. He looked to Sakura.

"Hold on tight." He commanded, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. He looked back at Naruto motioning for him to follow. Naruto gave a silent nod. With a powerful leap, he jumped onto one branch, and ran along the spiral of the tree to the other side, and jumped down from just about thirty feet. Landing on his feet, he smiled when he heard Sakura gasp in surprise and happiness. Behind the tree was a covered oasis, a water fall running into the small pool, and vines as well as a few flowers ran alongside the rocks on either side of the water fall. Even Naruto gave a shocked sound of surprise.

Sasuke placed her down letting her explore her surroundings. Sakura's eyes traveled all over the hidden sight walking into the water and closing her eyes again. A smile appeared on her face and she walked in the water, up to her thighs. She turned around facing Sasuke and Naruto smiling. There was enough water, and sunlight for her to live here forever. She was even secluded.

"Teme. Why don't we build a small house here?" Naruto suggested. Sasuke nodded.

"That's what I was thinking. We can make a small house…somehow. And instead, our hideout for Sakura to be here." Sasuke ended and crossed his arms.

"The question is…how are we gonna build it without harming any trees. If we do, Sakura-Chan will be hurt." Naruto said with worried eyes towards Sakura. Sasuke looked at their surroundings.

"The best thing we could probably do is take a few tents, pitch them together, and create a makeshift tent-house kind of thing. We can connect it to the big tree, and then run it along, to the vines by the waterfall. Then insert furniture and stuff. It's the best option without hurting anything." Naruto nodded at Sasuke's planning.

"What about heat? And fire?" Naruto asked. Sasuke shook his head.

"We'll figure that out later." Sasuke said looking at Sakura. The two continued staring at Sakura until Naruto's phone began to ring, and he groaned. Sasuke inwardly smirked, but couldn't help the cocky look that came into his eyes.

"A new assignment's calling. Better get going Naruto." Sasuke said his eyes looking at Naruto with a small smirk. Naruto glared, and he clenched his hands into fist while grabbing his phone and answering. It was a new assignment. With that Naruto turned towards the large tree he and Sasuke still stood in front of. Blue eyes glared at him.

"I will win her heart before you do." Naruto growled in a low whisper. Sasuke scoffed.

"Why would I care? You probably can." This however was not the true meaning of Sasuke's words. The sarcasm was too much to even ignore. The true meaning was the exact opposite and Naruto glared at its message.

'_You won't._' These words were the true meaning behind the lies.

Naruto then left leaving Sasuke and Sakura alone for his own assignment to commence. This left Sasuke to become rather calmer than before. His mind became at ease, and his muscles lessened from their tension. And Sakura…Sakura, stood in her glory, basking in the sun with a smile on her face. He guessed she finished because she brought her head down and opened her eyes to look at him.

"Thank you…" She said softly. He slowly walked to be in front of her, gently moving a strand of hair from her face and looking into her eyes. She smiled with a small blush on her face, letting herself fall back so she floated on the water, the rest of the her clothing soaking though and sticking to her skin.

He watched her, taking his seat, on the edge of a rock a little close to the water fall but not so close that he would get entirely wet. Sakura let her hands caress the water, bring her hands up over her head and back around to her sides. She then let herself sink into the waters. Sasuke knitted his eyebrows together. He didn't like losing sight of her. In truth it made him nervous. He didn't want to ever truly lose her…that would mean failure of the mission, and the death of humanity.

"Sakura…" He called. She didn't return. He tensed.

"Sakura!" He called louder only to see her come up now completely wet, and taking in her lost oxygen, but with wide frantic eyes.

"Sasuke-kun!" She screamed and was pulled under. His eyes widened and he jumped down, his feet landing in the water, as he ducked under to search for her. He caught a glimpse of pink hair going beneath the water fall, and possibly further. He glared, and went after her.

She looked at the men, slightly scared, with their metal masks covering their mouths and noses, and sleek suits and spiky hair sticking up with their faces covered. Their eyes scared her most. These men were killers, and they liked to kill. She could feel it. She could feel the blood on their hands, as they killed for money and power by their master's side.

"Oh looks like you have another friend with you darling." The man holding her ankle chuckled, and stopped holding her against him, with a knife against her neck. She was beginning to lose oxygen but seeing Sasuke gave her a certain hope. He would protect her just he had done before.

The looks in his eyes said so.

"Stop right there. If you don't want her neck to be slit in front of you right now you'll stop right there." The second water agent said. Sakura tried to shake herself out of her captor's grasp, and looked at Sasuke with frantic eyes.

_'You let her go now, or die. You've got that choice.' _Sasuke said telepathically to the captor. His eyes widened, but went back to narrowed slits.

"What makes you think you can kill us in this predicament huh? Down here, water controllers reign as kings and queens! We already know your a fire user!" Sasuke smirked, when the man's eyes widened, at his ankle being grabbed, and looked down to see Sasuke's onyx red eyes. In an instant his eyes rolled back, and Sakura was let free. She began swimming towards him and Sasuke began to put power in his hands and knees. She was going to go for the air, he knew that already.

He wanted to finish these men off.

He stared at the last guy who looked in fear, and Sasuke thrust himself towards him powerfully enough to be extremely fast under water, and took out his dagger.

Sakura gasped for air, and coughed, and walked onto the land.

"I..." She coughed.

"I don't know how those water lilies do it." She coughed more water up.

"Then again, they don't go under water." She coughed more and breathed hardly. Behind her, someone came up behind her, their dagger out and approaching her. She turned seeing Sasuke, and smiled, as he knelt down beside her black flames across his face, and left arm.

"You okay Sakura?" He asked seemingly still calm. She nodded.

"I just usually like a lot of air." She joked and he smirked, picking her up and relaxing, knowing not she was alright.

"Sakura...," He whispered. She looked up at him, from her bridal like position. He looked straight at her the flames still across his face, as he jumped over the boulders.

"Remember to...," He hesitated for a moment but remembered she was a flower. She was a flower he was protecting and his next words would have no true meaning to her.

"Always stay in my sight okay…its one of the rules." He said. She stared at him looking down with a face of guilt. She caressed his face, staring up at him with scared, and filled with obedience.

"I…I didn't mean to disobey. I'm sorry, forgive me." She whispered in a cracked voice, as tears welled in green eyes. He stared at her with concerned eyes. He didn't like how she was behaving. It…it was almost like she was submitting to him through fear. He didn't want that. He gave a calm look and shook his soaked head.

"Sakura, it's okay. It's no big deal." He tried to comfort her as he continued walking. She nodded and they stared into each other's eyes for what seemed like eternity. And then he felt it. The chains wrapped around him, with weights that felt like tons at the ends of them. He was then cast off into the endless green seas, to drown for all eternity. His eyes trailed to her lips which opened as if to say something. He looked back into her eyes. Placing her down, she grabbed his hand and pulled lightly, bringing herself back a little.

"Come with me Sasuke-kun." And he was pulled under, not into the earth they stood on, but into the green seas of her eyes.

The green seas then became green grass that surrounded him in its entirety, and around him, large trees the heights of skyscrapers. His eyes widened.

The forest was gone, and now he was in some unknown place; a place where everything was alive. He looked around seeing doe and deer peering out from the forest trees, and wolfs and squirrels standing in curiosity. He turned around seeing all the animals, some of which were new to his own eyes. It was rare to see an eagle, and if you did, you were considered crazy, since they were just that rare. It was a beautiful paradise. The grass beneath him was a full green, with a few patches of flowers.

It was a paradise he had never seen before. It was a meadow, beautiful and lively. He found himself awed, astonished, mesmerized by the complete beauty of it.

He turned around again only to see Sakura in a dress of leaves and her own kind. The dress is beautiful. A strapless green flow, that ran down to her ankles made of vines and leaves, entwined with cherry blossom petals that covered her body. In her hair too were leaves of the finest green. She was beyond beautiful. He couldn't compare her to anything. She was the only thing that stood out in this unknown paradise. She smiled.

"Sasuke-kun…" She said smiling warmly. Her voice sounded so different at that moment. It sounded much more matured, and alluring. Sensual and captivating once she said his name. He stared as she walked up to him.

"Sakura where are we?" He asked completely confused. She caressed his face seeming to not listen to his question. She seemed too at peace to answer any question.

They were so close, their bodies were touching, their lips were only centimeters apart. His hands at some point had wrapped around her waist. Her eyes were welcoming. And all sense of fear, anger, and doubt in Sasuke disappeared. The fear of losing her washed away, the anger that followed him all his life almost seemed to disappear and the doubt of him being able to fully protect her was gone.

"Be free of hate Sasuke-kun." She said placing her hand over his heart and closing her eyes to brush her lips against his.

"Let me help you, _dlihc fo rehtoM." _She whispered as he dropped to his knees. His eyes stared up at her as they began to fall. He fell to his side and she knelt beside him.

"_Ym rotcetorp…"_ She whispered again, and Sasuke found his eyes close as her hand rose to his neck. He felt a sensation take over his body that mostly concentrated at the neck, and he opened his eyes just slightly to see her surrounded in the green mist before falling unconscious overall.

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><p>Sasuke slowly woke up touching the back of his neck, more importantly, <em>that<em> area. He stood from the bed, and stopped realizing he stood from a bed. He looked around, not seeing Sakura, and a fear grew inside him. He heard voices downstairs and instantly walked down, what he realized was the cabin stairway.

And there in the kitchen, stood Naruto and Sakura talking and laughing.

"So I tell's him, well if you won't do that, then you can go suck it!" He said and Sakura laughed away. Sasuke raised and eyebrow.

"What?" Sasuke coughed. Naruto grinned at the sight of him. It seemed to be a grin of relief mixed in with happiness.

"Teme! You're alright!" Naruto yelled hugging him. Sasuke pushed him away and rubbed his neck.

"What happened? How long have I been out?" He asked Naruto and Sakura smiled at him from her place on the counter.

"You were out for a little over a week Teme...err, ten days to be exact!" Naruto said smiling. Sakura nodded, confirming his information. Sasuke's eyes widened.

"Ten Days...Sakura?" He looked at her. She looked at him, seemingly healthy. Then again, she didn't need that much management. Water and sunlight was all she needed, but what if she had been taken from him...what would he do? She came up and hugged him, happy he was alright and awake.

"Sakura-Chan healed you dude! You were hurt pretty bad, but it was internally. She wasn't sure why until she looked into your memories, but you got messed up pretty bad by the underwater guys she talked about." Naruto said smiling. Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

"I was hurt? I didn't feel a thing..." He whispered.

"Teme, do you remember anything from that fight?" Sasuke grabbed his head and the question, and ran a hand through his hair, but shook it to show he didn't.

"I...I don't remember...much." He whispered. He looked at Sakura. What did he do? She seemed to read him perfectly.

"You did nothing wrong Sasuke-kun." She said smiling. He let out a look of relief.

"She looked into your memories man. When you tackled the guy, he controlled the water to try and push you back, but you were going so fast, it hit you in the stomach, and even slightly set off the curse mark. Then you killed him since he failed miserably at stopping you." Naruto laughed. Sasuke's eyebrows furrowed. He didn't feel the curse mark activate. He didn't feel the burning crawling of its activation that he usually did. He didn't feel the power rush to his veins.

"Afterwards, I noticed you were limping, but even you yourself didn't seem to notice. I healed you, and you fell unconscious. I carried you back here, and Naruto-kun came two days later." She said grinning. He grabbed her closer, and glared at Naruto secretively. He was met with a smug smirk that turned into a grin.

"I don't understand. I didn't feel the curse mark activate." Sasuke looked down, confused.

"Don't sweat it Sasuke-Teme. Sakura-Chan thinks that it was the mark's will to protect you that set it off. Not to mention, she says you were in some kind of state, one where you knew what you were doing, but you weren't in control entirely." Naruto informed seriously. Sasuke looked at Sakura.

"How did you know the curse mark is supposed to protect me?" Sasuke asked her. She looked down.

"It's an ancient magic, given to some people by Mother. She only meant it to be used for us to be protected, but the seal started getting distributed by someone for his own personal gain." Sakura said. Sasuke glared.

"Orochimaru." He growled knowingly. She nodded.

"He wants to be immortal...that's his goal. People he infects with, what is now called the curse mark by humans, are protected by it, physically and mentally. It takes over the mind, and body and soul, so that it is to protect the host itself, rather than nature like it was suppose to." Naruto nodded at Sakura's words, knowing them already.

"But for now, it's not something to be worrying about. We need to get a move on. If those underwater guys found you, and no doubt Orochimaru has trackers in them even if they're dead, we should get as far away from here as possible." Sasuke nodded in agreement.

"You're right." Motioning for Sakura to come beside him. She did as he said.

"We'll talk about our previous conversation later. Did you get enough sunlight?" Sasuke asked her. She nodded and he smiled. He looked at Naruto.

"Let's get going then." Sasuke said.

* * *

><p>Since Sasuke claimed to be still tired after his ten day unconsciousness, Naruto was the one left to drive the black and red Dodge Charger. However this was not the case. The Uchiha simply remained there with eyes closed listening quietly to everything. They had already been driving a little over two or three hours.<p>

"So, where are we going Naruto-kun?" She asked him.

"I'm not sure Sakura-Chan. In all honesty." He said quietly. Sasuke turned facing the leather seats of his car opening his eyes.

"Naruto-kun...do you think Sasuke-kun sees me as...a bother?" She asked him. Sasuke's heart stopped. If Naruto truly wanted Sakura, all he had to do was say yes, and that all she was, was a mission. Which was somewhat...but not true. Sasuke closed his eyes in fear.

"No Sakura-Chan. I don't think so. If anything he cares for you very much." Naruto said quietly. Sasuke's eyes widened. All Naruto had to do was say he hated her...and she would've been all his. Why did he save him?

"While you've been in his life for the better part of two months, I've been his friend for sixteen years, and even now he acts like he hates me. But I know he doesn't. That's the thing with him Sakura-Chan. Whatever mean thing he may say, and however real it may sound, if he says it, but continues to stick around and allows you to be around him, he doesn't mean it. If he really didn't like you, he would've gave his assignment to someone else." He said kindly. Sasuke looked down sadly. Naruto was completely right, as much as he wouldn't admit it.

"I know why your asking Sakura-Chan. Yes, Sasuke-Teme can be a little cold at times, and sometimes he can just be strictly business, but in the small things he does, like hug you, and take care of you, and worry about you, it's actually a huge thing for him. Okay? A hug for Sasuke is as big as the Fourth of July." He said laughing.

"The Fourth of July?" She asked confusedly.

"It's a human thing." He casually dismissed.

"The bottom line is Sakura-Chan...," He said softly, and Sasuke continued to remain quiet.

"Sasuke-Teme cares a lot for you. More than I have seen him care for anyone, especially in the time span of two months." He ended. Sakura remained quiet and the rest was silent for five minutes when Sasuke, fakely stretched and sat up, and at his fake awakening Sakura gleamed, turning around to look at him.

"Sasuke-kun you're awake!" She beamed. He smiled, and couldn't help but chuckle and smile. She truly did resemble a child for a split second, her doe eyes emitting excitement and wonder as if his awakening was something that had never been done by any one on the planet.

"Yes Sakura I'm awake." She grinned but it instantly turned into a pout.

"Naruto-kun doesn't know where we're going!" She accused and Naruto animatedly let his eyes widen.

"I do I do! I know where we're going! We're headed South!" Naruto yelled defensively. Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"You idiot we're headed North." Sasuke scowled.

"How do you know Teme?" Naruto growled angrily.

"The compass right above my radio, digitally reading NORTH." Sasuke scowled. Naruto sheepishly grinned looking at the compass and making a U-Turn.

"Well...uhh...I knew that I just wanted to take a drive to throw off Orochimaru you know!" He said laughingly. Sakura scowled and pushing the lever underneath to lay down fully. She stretched out, turning to look at Sasuke with an annoyed look on her face. Sasuke smirked, before looking at Naruto through the rear-view mirror.

"Take us to Sand City. We'll be there for six months."

"You sure that's a good call Sasuke-teme?" Naruto asked worriedly looking at Sakura for a moment. Sasuke nodded.

"It won't be too hot during this time of year. Instead it'll be warm not to mention, we have allies there. It'll probably be worth going there, not to mention I don't want to stay in Konoha with her during winter. I don't know what the Winter season is going to do to her so I'd rather she stay warm. Gaara should be of huge help also." Sasuke said dismissively as if he had already planned this out.

"Well...during winter, Mother just lets me sleep until I wake up again in spring." Naruto raised his eyebrow at Sakura's statement.

"Not for nothing Sakura-Chan, and don't be offended, but don't you die during the winter?" Naruto asked hesitantly. Sakura put on a thoughtful look.

"I've lived home for...twenty cycles." Naruto let a confused eyebrow raise.

"Cycles." Sakura tapped her finger against her chin looking for the human word for cycles. She found that they were all in her made brain, converting her words from her language to theirs, and back.

"Uhm...not months, years. Yes. That is correct. Twenty years." Naruto's eyes widened.

"Whoa so you've been a living flower for twenty years?" Naruto yelled the question in pure and complete shock. Even Sasuke stared at her wide eyed. Sakura nodded smiling with a look of slight embarrassment.

"How have you been living so long?" Sasuke asked. Sakura shrugged lightly.

"Mother says she loves me. So she gives me extra chakra to keep me alive more." Sasuke came to a realization.

"Wait, how come Kabuto said you aren't fully developed yet." Sakura looked down with a sigh, she sat back up with her seat. She looked out the window and an embarrassed blush made its way onto her face. She hugged her knees up to her chest.

"That's because he's right. In twenty years, since Mother gave birth to me, for whatever reason...she never had me bloom." She said. She looked at her hands before sighing.

"No bee, the few that are around, has ever even been able to have my nectar, and they can't because Mother says I'm not ready to bloom." She said. Sasuke stared and couldn't help but blush before shaking of his own pervertedness, seeing Naruto beginning to grin like a madman.

Sakura just told them, she was a virgin.

"Why won't she let you bloom?" Sasuke asked hesitantly. She looked up.

"I don't know honestly. She says I'm meant to do more, meant to be more, but what more can I be? I'm guessing I'm going to be something new. Some new form of my species, that she will love and cherish just as she does with all her children. But also...," She looked down her face turning sad.

"I think...I really am the Last Flower." She said with sadness. The car turned quiet.

"I...I haven't spoken with the Lilies, nor the Daisies. I haven't spoken with the Roses, or the Bluebells and the Orchids...," A realization came over Sakura as she began to cry, remembering all those times she would hear Sasuke talk of her being the Last one, and Chiyo referring to her as the Last Flower when she was playing in the park. Tears streamed down her face.

"I really am the Last Flower aren't I, Sasuke-kun?" She said it more like a statement so he didn't answer. He stared at her solemnly and motioned her to move to the back with him. She crawled over, crying in his arms and he looked at Naruto through the rear-view mirror. He didn't look back, but let Sasuke see the anger in his eyes for the stupid humans everywhere. Sasuke looked down at Sakura, caressing her hair and hushing her in a gentle and comforting manner.

With that, the two day ride to Sand City, Suna began.

* * *

><p>"We've lost them sir. The agents you sent are gone." The man said before his golden eyed master, a fear taking his entire being when he saw the gleaming eyes narrow into glaring slits. A smile plastered on his face, he stood and his pale hand grabbed his soldier's shoulder. With a sigh, he looked into his eyes.<p>

"Each _time_ I have _them_ in my _grasp_." With a swift grab of the man's neck is was snapped and he dropped lifelessly on the floor.

"_You_ let them _get_ away." He growled with anger, as his servants dragged the body out with his wave of dismissal. He smelled the air.

"Ah Kabuto, my loyal and trusted agent surely you have brought me good news." He said turning to see the gray haired man walk in a maniacal smirk spewed on his face, with an unrelenting aura of evil and great triumph that he would gain more favor of his master.

"Yes sir, I do. Tsunade idiotically told me their location. They're in a cabin, not to far from the oasis. Not to mention its the only cabin in the woods at all." He said snickering. Orochimaru chuckled, pleased.

"You will take the best men I have to offer, and go there now." He ordered. Kabuto reached the door before being called again.

"And Kabuto..." The snake man safe, his pale gray lips curling into a cruel smile. The gray haired man looked back.

"Yes my Lord?"

"Be safe...," He said chuckling, something behind his message telling Kabuto more than just to be safe. But Kabuto wasn't sure of it. He nodded and walked out, closing the heavy metal door, leaving Orochimaru to his dimly lit throne room with a smile on his face. He looked to the picture beside him, in it a young blond girl smiling, along with a white haired boy, and his younger self, all in front of an older man. He chuckled and threw towards a wall. And then threw a dagger at it, impaling the picture against the wall right in the young girl of the image.

"Well played Tsunade, well played." He slithered and laughed.

* * *

><p>Sakura lifted her hood over her, and held onto Sasuke's hand. She wore a red vest with a hood attached to it, opened to reveal a white tank top, along with fingerless gloves on her hands, and her legs adorned in shorts that stopped at her mid thighs, and her boots. Sasuke looked at Naruto, who wore orange and black shorts, and a black tank top and combat boots, and nodded.<p>

"So, recap of the plan." Naruto said.

"We go straight to Gaara, explain our assignment, he's no doubt going to give us help. He'll have us stay for six months, and after that we'll be on our way." Sasuke said plainly, wearing a blue tanktop, black combat boots, and white shorts. Sakura listened to them quietly, looking down at her feet, seeing sand lightly cover the streets leading to the city gates. They were on foot, ditching the car in a parking lot where they would pick it up later. She let her eyes widened, and squatted getting on one knee, and grabbing a small grain of sand.

She let it fall into her hand and her eyes grew concentrated, despite Sasuke and Naruto not noticing her actions in the little argument that was ensuing between them.

"She's not going to eat ramen Dobe!" Sasuke yelled.

"How do you know?"

Sasuke glared.

Naruto glared.

"Let's go!" Sakura said already ahead of them. They stared at her, her cherry pink lips being the only thing they could see with the hood. She lifted her head just a little letting the hood raise and reveal her green eyes.

"I know which way Gaara lives. Let's go." She said kindly, and urgently. From her hand she let fall a grain of sand, and began to walk with Sasuke and Naruto behind her, before they caught up to her sides.

"Neh, Sakura-Chan, how do you know where Gaara is?" She blushed at the question.

"The sand told me." She said giggling when Naruto picked up some sand in his hands and yelled a greeting to Gaara.

"HEY BUDDY! I MISS YOU! GAARA CAN YOU HEAR ME?" He yelled and Sakura giggled and Sasuke smacked him upside the head.

"Idiot. Sand is a sediment that after time turns into soil. She was talking to it, and through it to Gaara. Moron." He grumbled. Naruto glared and grabbed Sasuke.

"Why I oughtta...," Sakura immediately got between them, an anger ensuing her.

"Will you two quit it!" She yelled. The two sheepishly rubbed the back of their heads and apologized to Sakura for annoying her. She smirked and started walking with them following behind, and occasionally hitting each other. Sakura giggled, and the gates were opened for them as if already knowing they were to do so.

"Usually we have to go through a whole search and party." Sasuke growled looking at the sand with a great dislike.

Soon the three reached a grand building, one that slightly towards over the entire city, littered here and there with piles of sand. After an elevator ride, Sakura walked to a door, and knocked while Sasuke and Naruto stood beside her. A growled come in was heard, and they all walked in, to the man's office, who's teal eyes looked at them with boredom, anger, and calmness.

"Hello Naruto...Sasuke." He growled. The red head was met with a glare that matched his own.

"Gaara." The said twenty two year old looked over to Sakura, and a smile emitted from him.

"I don't mean to doubt you flower, but I must ask to see you fully. You have nothing to be afraid of." He said. She reached up showing her pick hair and it flowed out of the hood. His eyes softened, and he raised his hand. With it, sand in the office rose and caressed Sakura's face. She smiled gently, and Sasuke glared. Their connection was...annoying him.

"Listen Gaara...," He said and the conversation of their reasoning for being there began. Gaara nodded in the end.

"Of course I'll allow you to stay for six months. That is no problem. I'll have a home set up for you deeper into the city so it'll be harder for Orochimaru to find you, and I'll also have a few Agents surround the home, in case you may need back up, or just a warning should they see something." Sasuke nodded.

"That's all that is needed." Sasuke said nonchalantly turning to leave. Sakura looked back at Gaara waving, and walking away with Sasuke.

"BYE GAARA!" Naruto yelled with a grin and Gaara smirked.

It took until night time to be fully settled into the apartment Gaara had set up for them. After settling in, Sakura looked at Sasuke who laid down on their bed, since he didn't feel comfortable leaving a room to herself. She was fine with it, and even cuddled next to him.

"Sasuke-kun, are you sure we're safe here like Gaara-kun said?" She asked and Sasuke began to choke on his own spit at the mention of 'Gaara-kun'. He looked at her.

"We're not safe anywhere Sakura. All we can be however is prepared and ready and here we are." He said bitterly. She looked down, feeling his anger as he turned from her.

"Are you angry with me?" She asked him. He remained quiet before sighing out.

"No Sakura...I'm not angry with you. I'm just a little tired. I had to drive the rest of the way here remember?" He said, and she nodded, hugging him gently.

"Goodnight Sasuke-kun." She whispered yawning and faling into a slumber, with the moon shining on her. Sasuke turned to look at her once he was sure she was fully asleep, and moved her hair away from her face. He wrapped his arms around her tightly, and slowly fell into his own slumber. One he knew would not keep up unless she was in his arms just like this.

And Sasuke closed his eyes.


	9. Chapter 9: Distance

**Here's chapter nine folks. Sorry it took a while, I was a little stuck and I couldn't hurry up and update with school and other stuff coming up. Some many test and homework so little time to write. Good thing I've been writing out ideas on a little notepad. Otherwise, this might have just been updated next year. Haha. Just kidding. Here ya go. I won't keep it from you any longer.**

**Chapter 9 - Distance**

Sakura walked through the streets of Sand city with Sasuke at her side of course, looking at the open area she had yet to walk through. Unlike Konoha City, she noticed how the buildings weren't as large, but the streets were wide for hundreds of people to walk through. As of now, in the cover of approaching dawn, it only littered with a few people allowing Sakura to be out in the open. According to Sasuke, Gaara was a lot stricter of people coming into Suna than Tsunade, and if Orochimaru's secret agents were to ever penetrate the city, they wouldn't stick around long.

Gaara knew everything about everything of his city, and the sand was part of the reason why.

She played with her hair unconsciously and smiled at Sasuke.

"Neh, Sasuke-kun, I like it here. People are nice!" She said waving to an old lady who waved at her. She was just beginning to open up her shop. She smiled at her gently. Sasuke nodded and continued walking.

"Hn. I guess." He said nonchalantly, knowing that though Gaara held things down, he could never keep people kind and nice forever. The Sand City still had its own share of problems, and Orochimaru had a propounding want to penetrate the city. When Gaara became the leader of Suna however, Orochimaru was hardly able to send his troops pass the gates.

Again, however long he could stop Orochimaru, there was just no way he could stop the major problems with the city.

The people of Suna, though protected from Orochimaru, lived poorly, despite major reforms put into action by Gaara. Their healthcare was at minimums, and doctors, the very few that were in the city, were lucky if they had resources available to help the people. Tsunade had tried to help Gaara in that area as much as she could, sending Gaara doctors of her own, and medicine, but the vast people, inflicted by disease and pain was not enough for the maximum she had given.

The trio, Sasuke, Naruto and Sakura, had been in Suna for the better part of two months, and so far, Sakura had not seen too much of the city. Besides basking in sunlight on their balcony, carefully watched by Sasuke and/or Naruto of course, and taking in water through buckets, Sakura never walked more than five feet (besides going to a local bakery a few blocks away) from the house that had been their home for the past two months. The rosette haired girl, wanted nothing more than to stretch her legs and like her natural instincts were, to be free. She was to spin, and dance with the winds, and let her pink petal soft hair flow around her, and to sing with the sky, and shine with the sun. It was just the way she was, and Sasuke not only found it a slight nuisance, but a beauty, only to be described in poetry, and only matched by a creation of mother nature. In the end, he could only smirk, and continue on watching her foolishly remembering; she was a creation of mother nature.

"Where do you want to go Sakura?" Sasuke asked. She placed a finger to her chin and her doe eyes turned thoughtful, with a sense of curiosity.

"Where can we go?" She asked. Sasuke shrugged. There actually wasn't that much entertainment in Suna, which is why it was home mostly to retirees, and newly formed families. Konoha, unlike Suna, spent a lot more money on such things. Suna was too poor for it.

"How about the park Sakura?" she looked down in thought at his proposal, only to nod approvingly.

"Okay."

And so they made their way to the park. It was a nice small area, a fountain in the center, with sand littering the area, overtaking the concrete to form over a slight thick sheet of beige sediments. The climate of Sand City, would not allow for grass nor trees, but instead sand, replicating a beach of sorts, with its center piece being the large fountain, spewing up water with a grace you'd think was not possible from something as ordinary as a fountain. Sakura smiled, taking off her black flats, and letting her tender feet caress the sand beneath her. She smiled, reminded of her soil. She remembered some of its ancestors were part sand. She could feel it now, the want the sand held to allow life to grow from the porous comforts of the beige particles, only to be led onto knowing disappointment. Roots could not be held in sand by none other but a species called cactus. Mother told her stories of such a species, and their sad demise was due to human need for their juices.

It saddened her in a way, but she could not bring herself to hate humans, no matter how weird it seemed.

She walked over to the fountain, placing a foot in the water gently, and then placing another.

And Sasuke watched as the constant phenomenon began. No matter what Sakura's mood was, no matter what inner turmoil she may have not spoken of, once she began to drink her water, her head would rise up to the sky, her mouth curling into a peaceful smile with eyes closed to increase the serenity. Her hands relaxed completely, and he had once caught her inhaling peacefully, making her seem like an angel or goddess of all creation itself. For some reason watching her made him feel at peace, especially in times such as this, where she was in such a calm state, that it practically radiated off of her, the sun, somehow rising faster, as if to be graced itself by her presence.

He didn't even notice there was a crowd growing and watching the drinking flower. And when he did, he had no choice but to grab her hand and pull her out her trance no matter how much he hated doing so. She brought her head down before opening her eyes, grassy green orbs looking at with a peculiar stare.

"Come on Sakura, there's a lot of people around." He said quietly, but looking at the crowding people staring at Sakura with awe and wonder in their eyes. To him, they had no business with her, and therefore, they didn't need to know who or what she was.

"So? It's okay if they watch me drink and bask Sasuke-kun." She said, now staring at him incredulously.

"I don't feel comfortable with people watching you." He spoke harshly. The slight harshness of his tone, was enough for her to look down in disappointment at not finishing with her water and feel guilty about being a nuisance.

"Okay Sasuke-kun, if you say so." She sighed and stepped out, placing her feet on the flats to not get sand stuck on their wet but already drying contents. Sasuke held her hand as she fix one of her flats, and both were startled when they saw a man, forty years of age or more, a small, sickly child in his hands, running to them, and stopping on his knees. He looked up at Sakura and their eyes met, even as Sasuke put Sakura behind him in a defensive manner. The man was scared and he was ready to beg, and give his life, for the request he had.

"I-I mean no harm." He started.

"If you truly are what I believe you are...please. Please, save my son!" He whispered with his voice quivering and already crying with pain and fear. And Sakura stared, feeling his pain. The man's son, from what she could understand, was dying, and there was nothing they could do. This man had no money, no efficient means of providing the boy with proper remedies and medication, and he was desperate. This boy in his arms, was his life, and without him he literally had nothing else to live for.

"I feel for you, but she cannot help your son." Sasuke tried to say but the man seemed not to even hear the words.

"I knew what you were as soon as I saw the pink hair, and I can honestly say I have long given up on promise of a renewed world by Mother, but please, I beg you, spare my son! Spare him and heal him please. D-Don't...D-Don't let his life go to Mother yet...please." Sakura stared at the man with a hurt in her eyes, tears filling to the brim of her orbs.

"He's all I have, please." The man finally whispered and held his son tighter.

"I'm sorry." Sasuke said, staring down sadly, and grabbed Sakura's hand, only for it to be snatched away, and he was lightly pushed to the side by none other than the flower. Sakura's eyes remained trained on the man.

"No." She said sternly.

"Sakura...," He stared in his own slight shock.

"I want to do this Sasuke-kun. Please. Let me." She said, her tone assertive, but assuring, and she looked at him with pleading eyes. He took a look at the boy unsurely, and reluctantly nodded, remaining quiet as she kneeled down in front of the man, wiping the older man's tears away much to his astonishment. She smiled.

"Place him on the ground." She commanded him lightly, in which the man did surprisingly, calmly. It seemed as if something in her gaze caused him to feel complete peace, and tranquility, such feelings he appeared to have not have in this life from his birth to his present. And then she looked down at the boy. He had to have been eight to nine years of age, the boy's face was in horrified pain, which consumed his entire body in ferocious and malicious goal to destroy him. Sakura caressed the boys hair slowly, as she placed his head on her lap, and the other hand stayed on his heart, the primary source of his pain. She closed her eyes.

"It's a poison..." she whispered looking at the father of the boy. His brown eyes turned worried and he looked away.

"I-Is there nothing you can do for him?"

The crowd had gotten larger.

Sakura smiled, and nodded.

"Of course." She said and closed her eyes again, as her hands glowed green, and the boy's pain seemed to ease off slightly, as his painful winces and cries turned into hollow inhales and exhales. Sakura inhaled deeply, and slowly, her hand raised, and from a small cut formed in the boy's skin since he wore no shirt, a purple liquid wrapped in her green mist came slowly out along with her. as she raised her hand higher, her chakra appeared longer, and all of it held onto the poison. She smiled as the last of the poison was out of the boy and she let it form a ball of the liquid suspended in her chakra in her hand. The man looked at her with hope.

"It's time for you to wake up." She sang to the child, and he stirred, opening to reveal sky blue eyes, and look at Sakura's face, to which the crowd awed and Sasuke smiled lightly. He sat up, and the father of the child instantly swooped the boys into his arms, crying tears of pure joy. This joy however, was new. This was a joy he had never felt nor experienced, Sakura guessed besides the birth of his son. Other than that, he had only experienced misery and pain, but joy he seemed to not have in a long time.

"Thank you. Thank you so much! Thank you." He cried to Sakura. She smiled kindly, and stood, looking at Sasuke, while placing the poison into a bottle Sasuke wasn't using anymore. She kneeled back down just as the father was hopelessly looking into the boy's blue eyes, with a love only a devoted father could have. The boy looked at her and smiled shyly, looking down at the sand beneath his feet.

"T-Th-Thank you." He stuttered. Sakura's warmth radiated, and she lifted the boy's chin, caressing his face.

"You take care now." She told him, a hushed voice in her tone filled with motherly love, only made the chlid grin, and hug her. She chuckled, wrapping her arms around his tiny, frail body.

"Come on Sakura." Sasuke said calmly.

Sakura smiled, at the boy a final time, as they pulled away, and after staring at his laughing face, her face slowly changed. From its happy state, it fell into uncertainty, and from uncertainty to worry and from worry to terror. Her eyes widened, and filled with tears, and she lifted her hands to her lips in an motion of fear and pain. She let a few tears fall, before groaning and grabbing her head. Sasuke rushed to her side, kneeling to her.

"Sakura, are you okay?" He asked worriedly, with a haste for an answer, so that he may act quickly on a problem should it be existent. Sakura wiped the almost released tears away, as everyone looked at her. Even the boy in front of her stared worriedly.

"I'm fine Sasuke-kun, I-I just. I'm very happy that's all." She said, a deceiving smile that assured all life was nothing but peace making its way onto her face.

"And I'm a little weak." She added hastily, fighting away Sasuke's starting look of concern and dissatisfaction with her earlier answer. She grinned with a smile, and he nodded.

"Understood...let's get you home then." Sasuke said, lifting her bridal style, as she held onto him. She nodded. The child pulled away from his father's grasp and held Sakura's hand gently, with worry. She smiled at him, ruffling his hair lightly.

"Do not worry little one. I'm fine." She said, winking to add in assurance. He smiled and grabbed hold of his father's neck again in a hug, as Sasuke walked away with Sakura. And as they walked through the now crowded streets, Sasuke stared at the cement ground, and contemplating on the consequences of Sakura's actions. Should anyone leave the village, and speak of her "miracle" as he heard someone in the crowd say, word might get to Orochimaru somehow, and he would discover them. He could not afford to leave with her now. Suna was at the right temperature for her to flourish, while Mist was a bit cooler, and Konoha was currently as cold as ice. It was now early December after all.

"Sasuke-kun, what's wrong?" She stared at him, with a worried look. He looked at her.

"I'm a bit concerned. If Orochimaru hears of your little miracle back there...he'll know your here." Sasuke said. Sakura chuckled and he glared at her lightly, approaching the steps of their home, and placing her down to get the key.

"Sakura this is a serious matter." She laughed a little more, and caressed his face, to make him focus on her only. He looked into her playful eyes, with his slightly wide own, and she amusedly chuckled.

"You worry too much." She laughed gently, and a look of warmth radiated from her smile and eyes, making Sasuke glare lightly at her. He shook his head, and looked to the floor.

Sakura smiled, and walked inside the home, while he walked in silently behind her. Naruto smiled at the two, and greeted them in his loud and obnoxious voice, not giving them a shadow of doubt that he had missed them even if they were gone for only an hour or less. Sakura greeted him back, and the two engaged in conversation while Sasuke discreetly kept his distance. Sakura spoke of today's actions, and Naruto spoke of his own, which simply involved picking up groceries, since it was still rather early in the day.

"Well, what would you like to do now Sakura-Chan?" Naruto asked grinning. She looked down thoughtfully, making a humming sound to show her insecure feelings on this matter.

"I don't know...Can I go visit Milana-Chan at the bakery? It's ten o'clock, so she should be just opening the bakery to customers." Sakura explained and Naruto smiled, wrapping and arm around her shoulder.

"I see no reason why not. Go on ahead." Naruto said. Sakura hugged him, and slowly giggled when she saw Sasuke's face twist lightly at the fact that she was leaving, and this time, she was going to be leaving without him. He still remembered those few days ago all too well.

"_Where do you think you're going?" Sasuke said from behind her, and she flinched, seeing now that she was caught trying to sneak out the house alone. She turned grinning sheepishly and he glared. She sighed and looked down._

"_Sasuke-kun…I-I just want to go to the bakery from yesterday and talk with the old woman again. Alone." She said hesitantly and quietly. He glared more._

"_No. You will wait for me, and __we__ will go __together__." He growled, crossing his arms and she immediately glared at him. _

"_No! I want to go alone!" She suddenly yelled and his eyes widened. Sakura was usually a bit more cooperative…especially when it came down to his job of protecting her. That's why she had followed all of his rules. Their first month here was fine, and now that they were approaching the second, he noticed she was…defiant, and a little more than usual._

"_Sakura…" He said in shock. She shook her head._

"_No! Come on Sasuke-kun please! We've been here for a month and you've even told me Orochimaru can't get into Suna overall. Please just let me be independent for once!" She yelled out, causing Naruto to walk out rubbing his eyes. Sasuke stared at her for a moment and she grabbed his hand gently._

"_Please Sasuke-kun…please?" She asked. He stared into her eyes, his eyebrows furrowed together and Naruto looked at them with tired interest. Sasuke sighed and he stared at her._

"_Be back by noon." He said simply, and she grinned hugging him tightly and thanking him before running out. Sasuke's eyebrow twitched._

"_What just happened?" Naruto asked, yawning and stretching as Sasuke banged his head against the nearby wall._

"_She's becoming a teen." He groaned._

"Sasuke-kun...," She giggled, pulling him out of the memory. When he was fully aware, he stared at her for only a moment, a look of anger, distance and something related to, but not exactly, dislike. After this look, which did not go unnoticed, he looked away from her with a slight glare boring into the wood floors beneath his feet.

"Just go. Before I change my mind on our deal and keep you here." Sasuke said angrily. There must've been an overly harsh tone in his voice, for the smile on her face fell, and her eyes seemed pained as if he yelled at her for a terrible thing she had done. She looked down, and bit her bottom lip, before walking out fully. Naruto studied this interaction, and the moment he was sure Sakura was gone, he glared at Sasuke incredulously.

"What the hell is wrong with you? Why did you speak to her like that?" Naruto scowled. Sasuke glared.

"Shut up."

"Don't tell me to shut up! Did you see the look on Sakura-Chan's face? You probably hurt her feelings!" Naruto growled. Sasuke rolled her eyes.

"She'll live." Naruto's eyes widened at this response. Naruto knew Sasuke too well, during the first couple of months he had had Sakura, Naruto could already see Sasuke was somewhat attached to her. In the least, he could tell Sasuke would do everything in his power to protect her, with or without payment or orders. If he had probably met Sakura in the street, it would've been the same. There was something about her that drew you in, and apparently, it had also drawn in the great Sasuke Uchiha.

"Teme...," Naruto scolded in a whisper. Sasuke turned away, walking upstairs.

"Teme get back here! We're not done!" Naruto yelled following Sasuke towards the bedroom only to get the door slammed into his face, and to hear the clicking of a lock. After standing there for a moment, he glared.

"What the hell is wrong with him...?" He growled and walked downstairs to leave the Uchiha alone.

* * *

><p>Sakura walked outside, inhaling the mid-morning air, and stretching gently. She smiled, at a passing woman and her child, as the little girl waved tiredly at her. She chuckled and began her own walk towards the bakery in town, her mind flowing back to just a few minutes earlier. With the memory, her smile faded. She didn't understand the reason Sasuke spoke to her as he did, but the coldness in his voice was enough to tell her to leave, and it was enough to tell her to never come back. Of course she would come back, but it seemed he didn't want her around.<p>

Sasuke, though often stoic and not very expressive, had never been too mean to her. Maybe a few harsh tones here and there, and maybe a glare or two when she got slightly careless and disobedient, but he had never just as much as sneered at her with a harsher tone than one which showed disappointment and frustration. This new tone, which even put fear in her heart, had something dedicated solely to her, and it wasn't something Sasuke seemed to not be able to give to anyone else. She didn't even know how she knew the tone was only for her. And she saddened even more remembering it again.

_"Just go. Before I change my mind on our deal and keep you here." _

In retrospect, Sakura still guess he cared for her since he threatened to keep her back at the house, but there was something that told her one thing and one thing only.

He couldn't stand being with her.

This feeling, which she had been recently feeling on an almost every day basis, was now becoming more frequent from Sasuke, and the more she tried to get closer to him, the more he seemed to push away. Even this morning, when he held her hand and even smiled at her, the rare occasions it happened, there was something off. Something was pulling him away from her, and if she didn't know any better, she'd say it was Sasuke doing it himself. She sighed, and shook her head, as she saw the bakery down the street not too far.

If there was one good thing that this new distance Sasuke was giving off, it was her new found freedom. He would let her walk around the house, and wouldn't have her in his sights twenty four seven. She had even been given her own room after a week of sleeping next to Sasuke. She was sad about it, but found it, in proper terms, awesome. She had her own room, to watch her own television and read her own books, by herself. And while Sasuke and Naruto did make her leave the door open at all times, and did check on her after a while, she was left alone, and she loved it.

This too, was something she didn't understand.

She opened the glass door reading Milana's Bakery, and with her entrance a light bell rang. An old woman walked out and smiled at the girl.

"Ah, Sakura-sweetheart!" She said, her old southerner voice withering and shaking lightly, as any old person voice would sound like. Sakura smiled at her brightly and her eyes filled with wonder as she kissed the old woman on the cheek. The woman's blue eyes closed in delight, and she tied her fully grayish white hair in a messy bun. As usual upon looking at her, you could see she was an old woman of much time in life, with the wisdom of a goddess and gentleness of an experienced mother. She was a woman, though seemingly somewhat frail, and hunched over just slightly, was an able body to work, and didn't mind doing so. According to herself, it's why she never asked her eight children to help her run the bakery. And that made Sakura like her even more.

She was so independent despite her being at the dwindling age of seventy two.

"Good morning Milana-Chan." She said kindly, and tied her grey hair up.

For the next three hours, Sakura helped Milana with work around the shop. And at one thirty, Sakura took off her apron and began to wash her hands of the flour and dough they had on them. She smiled as her natural processes began, and she took in the water through her hands. Upon seeing it, you could watch as the running water would trail up Sakura's hands and arms in a thin river, and then slowly soak into her skin where it was gone. She pulled out seeing Milana stare at her. This was their normal routine. They would serve who ever came in, take whatever money they gave and since one o'clock to about two thirty was the usual quiet time, they would stop and talk.

Sakura sat, remaining quiet and looking away, her thoughts trailing back to this morning again with Sasuke.

_"Just go."_

Her eyes watered just a little, as she stared at the polished wood floors of Milana's shop. The old woman walked in from the back, and stared with an observing look of worry.

"Sakura-sweetheart...," The old woman said, pulling a chair and sitting next to the flower at their chosen table of everyday talk and conversion. Sakura didn't dare to look at the woman. She was bound to see tears in her eyes, and Sakura didn't want Milana to worry, therefore, she kept her eyes low, and allowed her long hair to do the work in hiding her face.

"What's wrong sweet pea?" She woman questioned lightly, her voice gentle and worried. Sakura shook her head sniffing lightly. The woman's eyes widened and she immediately pulled her chair closer bring Sakura into a hug while the girl cried silently.

"Oh sweetie, what's wrong? Don't you cry yo' heart out, you tell Milana-Chan who hurt yo' feelin's baby." She threatened, pulling Sakura up to caress the tears away. Sakura shook her head.

"I-It's okay Milana-Chan...I-It's just that...well...," She swallowed, and sniffed again, wiping away her own stray tears while Milana's blue eyes turned worried.

"This morning, Sasuke-kun was a little-" The flower was instantly cut off.

"Sasuke-boy? What did he do? I will teach that boy some respect if he done gone and hurt you sweetheart! Where is he right now? I'll go teach him a lesson the ol' fashion way, mmhm, he done gone messed up now! Messin' with my baby's heart I'll beat that there boy to a blood pulp, chakra enhanced or not!" Milana declared standing, and shaking her fist. Sakura couldn't help but giggle, giving Milana the desired effect of her outburst. Sakura smiled looking up at her, while the old woman smiled back discreetly.

"No, no! There's no need for that Milana-Chan. It's just that...this morning, and for a while too I guess, Sasuke-kun's been a little...I guess the word is mean. I-It's not like he means to be, but he's just been really harsh lately and I don't know what I'm doing wrong. Well maybe he's not harsh neither I guess what I'm trying to say is he's been...uhh...," Sakura trailed, not sure of the word she wanted to say, that is until Milana said it for her.

"Distant." She said, and Sakura nodded looking down.

"Yeah...I-I don't know what I did Milana-Chan. He seems angry with me all the time, and there are times where he's always telling me to leave him alone, and he gets angrier at my behavior, more than usual." Sakura explained and looked down with tears falling.

"I-I don't know what to do, except to listen to everything he says and leave him alone." She cried and placed her head in her folded arms on the table. Milana stared for a moment, placing a hand and Sakura's pink hair.

"There there. It's goin' to be alright. You know how Sasuke-boy is. He's probably been a little stressed, and there's somethin' he isn't talkin' 'bout. I wouldn't worry on it too much. Maybe he just accidently takin' it out on you. Whateva the case, Sasuke-boy cares for ya, and I know that for a fact!" Milana said, making Sakura look up at her with eyes full of hope.

"He does?" She asked, and the older woman nodded.

"I know for sure. The way he looks after ya, and cares for ya, ain't know man gonna do it if he doesn't care." She promised, and Sakura smiled.

"Thanks Milana-Chan, that makes me feel a lot better." Sakura said, hugging the older woman. She smiled.

"It ain't no problem my sweet petal. Now you tell me tomorrow if that Sasuke-boy goes on and hurts yo' feelin's one more time. Then he's gonna have a major problem wit' yo' Milana-baa-chan!" She threatened and Sakura laughed nodding. The time was three o'clock already, meaning Milana was closing. Whenever Sakura had questioned why she closed so early, she simply replied...

_"If them peoples want the best pastries of they life, they gonna have-ta either come early, or pay me for a new tv so I don't miss my shows here in the bakery!" _

Sakura stood, and walked out with the older lady kissing her on the cheek and waving as the older lady bid her goodbye.

* * *

><p>It wasn't long before Sakura got home, and she sighed. The house was quiet, which meant Naruto was gone, and Sasuke was either too gone or in his room. She insecurely walked towards the Uchiha's room door, and quietly knocked, her tender fist making two gentle <em>knock knocks<em> on the door. It wasn't long before she heard a monotone, "come in." from inside.

As she walked in, she was met with Sasuke sitting, his back turned from her, and sharpening a dagger. She did her best to put on a smile, and wearily began to speak.

"I'm home." She declared quietly. He stopped and turned only slightly. There was something sad in his eyes for a moment, before he turned back and continued.

"Good. Why don't you go to your room or something." Sasuke dismissed her. She bit her bottom lip lightly. There was the distance, and as with the usual pattern, if she pressed him more, he might snap at her harshly. She sighed quietly.

"W-Well, we haven't been spending too much time together, so I figured maybe you wanted to go on another walk with me Sasuke-kun. D-Do you want to?" She proposed shakily, and was only met with a shaking head of rejection.

"No thank you Sakura." The room stayed silent after that, the only sound being Sasuke's dagger getting sharper. Sakura smiled and chuckled.

"O-Of course. You're busy, I understand. Maybe later, at night, we can go and I can bask in the moon, it's suppose to be full tonight." She said a little excitedly. Sasuke sighed, and it was out of annoyance, and he turned to her with a glare. A glare that told her to leave him the hell alone already.

"Why don't you go do that by yourself or with Naruto. Tonight I'm on patrol outside of the Suna walls with Gaara to make sure things are secure." Sasuke told her. Sakura's eyes turned slightly pained, and she looked down.

"O-Oh..." She whispered, and turned.

"O-Okay...I guess I'll ask Naruto-kun...I-I really wanted to go with you though." She said and Sasuke rolled his eyes.

"I'm busy Sakura. I can't. Naruto shouldn't be doing anything, either go with him, don't go far alone, or don't go at all." He scolded and turned back. Sakura looked down, and allowed one tear to fall onto the floor. She walked out, not daring to say anymore, and Sasuke only heard the slamming of her door. Sasuke growled. She knew she wasn't supposed to close her door with that he stood, and walked into her room, seeing her lay on her bed.

"You know damn well your suppose to keep your door open." He scowled. And Sakura stood, her eyes sad, and slowly turning into angry, glaring green orbs.

"I don't care." She shrugged. Sasuke's eyes narrowed.

"Don't test me Sakura." Sakura scoffed at his threat.

"Whatever." She hoarsely said, pulling out a book and beginning to read and moving to her balcony, where she closed the door. Sasuke glared and walked over, to open that too.

"You're testing my patience Sakura. You are going to leave these damn doors open!" His voice raised. And she stood.

"You wanted to be left alone and I did! Why don't you just leave me alone!" She yelled. Sasuke stood quiet for a moment before punching the glass of the balcony door, Sakura yelling in slight fear. He then walked out, and next thing Sakura knew, her bedroom door was off its hinges and loudly slammed on the floor underneath her bed. Her eyes widened.

"Sasuke-kun!" She yelled.

"Try and close that shit now." Sasuke sneered at her, and she couldn't help but stay frozen in her place. He stared into her eyes for just a moment, before turning and walking out, closing his door in the process. Sakura was left alone in her bedroom as she sat down miserably on her door, and began to read. Her eyes tearing behind the white pages of the book, and she cried silently.

She didn't go to bask in the moon that night.

* * *

><p>After that Sakura was out a lot of the time. Naruto was watching her closely, but he could see she was far from being the good Sakura that was obedient and kind to him and Sasuke. Lately she had a string of anger, and yelled at the two of them, Sasuke of course yelling back, and had even once or twice gone as far as to smack Sasuke, before she was hauled into her room, where she had a new chakra reinforced door, so they couldn't open it, break it, or unlock it without her consent.<p>

It seemed Sakura was going the rebellious stage. But it was much worse than they had ever thought it would be.

As Naruto walked out onto the roof of the house, where Sakura often was nowadays, he noticed how she glared at the sky now, rather than just staring at it kindly. That was different.

"Hey Sakura-Chan. Sasuke-teme and I wanted to know if you wanted to come down for dinner." The pink haired artificial girl thought for a moment before shaking her head.

"Nah. I'm just gonna stay up here. Thanks." She said. Naruto sat beside her.

"You know Sakura-Chan, I know thing haven't been eyes, but you should know that me and Sasuke-teme care for you, even if we've been arguing a lot lately. We really don't want you to think otherwise." He said. Sakura's eyes flashed with pain, and fear, and sorrow, before she closed them. The look, though full of fear, seemed to already accept it, and seemed use to it. Sakura didn't talk to him or Sasuke much anymore, unless they were scolding her for coming home late at night.

"Is there something on your mind? Maybe you wanna talk about what's been going on lately? Or maybe you'd like to talk to Sasuke-teme rather than me?" Naruto suggested. Sakura turned onto her side away from Naruto, and shook her head.

"He wouldn't understand. No one would understand." Sakura said, her voice whined lightly, but was filled with a deep depression of sorrow, and sadness, that if Naruto didn't know any better, seemed to stem from something other than the fighting that was going on in the home. According to Milana, Sakura was very distant and quiet at the bakery, and would leave early, or sometimes just plain not show up. Which of course would leave to another fight about where she had been, which she never told.

"I know that feeling, but trust me Sakura-Chan, we've been through this, and just because it seems like the world is out to get you, doesn't mean you don't have people here to protect you from the world." Naruto said, caressing her hair gently with a warm smile. Sakura laid back on her back, and looked up at Naruto, her eyes seeming to want to tell him something. It was dismissed. He could see it was not to be revealed. Not yet at least, and she shook her head; an answer for some reason, he already knew was coming.

"Okay Sakura-Chan. If you ever want to talk, I'm here for you." He stood and walked away stopping.

"Sasuke-teme's there for you too. I know he's been a bit mean lately, but give him some time, and I'm sure he'll come around just like you will." Naruto said smiling at her. Sakura smiled back just slightly and nodded.

"Maybe later." She promised lightly and Naruto left. Sakura hugged her knees to her chest, and looked down.

_'Strongest taste  
>Loudest drop<br>Head is filled  
>The thought, unlocked.'<em>

Sakura's eyebrows furrowed, and she let one tear fall before wiping her face.

_'Strongest taste  
>Loudest drop<br>Head is filled  
>The thought, unlocked.'<em>

Sakura shook her head.

_'Strongest taste  
>Loudest drop<br>Head is filled.'_

Sakura stood, and looked at the setting sun.

_'You'd be thirteen  
><em>_I'd be thirty five.  
><em>_Gone to find a place for us to hide._

_Be together but alone as the need for it has grown yeah.'_

Sakura slowly walked across the roof, before hopping to another one, and another one, in the direction of the park.

_'You'd be thirteen  
>I'd be thirty five.<br>Gone to find a place for us to hide.  
><em>

_Be together but alone as the need for it has grown yeah.'_

Sakura shakily exhaled, as she landed on the ground and began to walk, hiding her chakra signature completely.

_A cave or a shed  
>A car or a bed<br>A hole in the ground or a burial mound  
>A bush or a tree<br>Or the Aegean Sea will do for me.'_

Sakura looked down, and sat at the fountain.

_You'd be thirteen  
>I'd be thirty five.<br>Gone to find a place for us to hide._

Sakura kept her eyes down, and her eyes filled with tears.

_'A den or a dessert  
>perhaps a ink squirt<br>a cellar, wishing well, a war  
>Or a guarantee, will do for me.' <em>

"If you go, please let me know." She finished the song, and sat alone at the fountain.


End file.
